Do Cherished Children Age Successfully? Longitudinal Findings From the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study

This study examined: (a) profiles of early experiences across multiple domains, (b) the relations of these profiles to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in later life, and (c) whether midlife social support mediated these relations using data from participants in the VA Normative Aging Study who completed the Childhood Experiences Scale. Analysis yield 3 profiles of early experiences labeled as cherished (strong support and some losses), harshly disciplined (harsh parental discipline, low positive reinforcement, and nonnormative stress factors), and ordinary (few stressors and low parental attention). In general, the cherished group reported stronger qualitative social support in midlife than the other groups, which was in turn related to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being later in life.