Niken Hartati, Jati Ariati, Nur Eva, Udan Kusmawan, Yohanes Budiarto, Mardianto, Farah Aulia
In low- and middle-income countries, structural poverty continues to shape educational pathways and outcomes. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), often exacerbated by socioeconomic vulnerability, are linked to long-term psychological and academic challenges. This study examines the indirect relationship between ACEs and student engagement in the context of Indonesian higher education, with self-esteem and sense of belonging proposed as mediating variables. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 796 university students from diverse institutions across Indonesia, data were analyzed using serial mediation models (Smart PLS 4). The results reveal that ACEs significantly reduce self-esteem (β = –0.04, p < 0.01) but have no direct effect on emotional engagement (β = –0.02, p > 0.05) or sense of belonging (β = 0.01, p > 0.05). However, self-esteem positively predicts engagement (β = 0.30, p < 0.01), and a significant indirect pathway is identified via self-esteem and belonging (β = 0.010, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that psychological sequelae of childhood adversity may hinder students’ capacity to engage meaningfully in higher education, even in the absence of direct institutional exclusion. The study underscores the urgency for universities in developing contexts to adopt proactive psychosocial support mechanisms–particularly for students with histories of adversity–to foster inclusion, resilience, and equitable learning outcomes. © 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Departemen Psikologi, Fakultas Psikologi Dan Kesehatan, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia; Fakultas Psikologi, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia; Fakultas Psikologi, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Terbuka, Jakarta, Indonesia; Fakultas Psikologi, Universitas Tarumanegara, Jakarta, Indonesia
