Relationship Commitment in Emerging Adulthood: The Roles of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Hedonistic Motivation

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and hedonistic motivation as predictors of relationship commitment among emerging adults at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 375 undergraduate students (182 males, 193 females) aged 18-29 years through convenience sampling. Participants completed standardised measures including the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q), the Hedonic sub-scale of the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities (HEMA) Scale, and the Relationship Commitment Scale (RCS). Results revealed that adverse childhood experiences alone showed no significant relationship with commitment, though the trend was negative. Surprisingly, hedonistic motivation significantly predicted higher relationship commitment, explaining 7.3% of variance. When examined together, both ACEs and hedonistic motivation significantly influenced commitment, explaining 8.4% of total variance. Significant gender differences emerged, with females demonstrating higher commitment than males. These findings challenge traditional assumptions that hedonism undermines commitment, suggesting instead that among educated emerging adults, pleasure-seeking within relationships may actually enhance commitment. The emergence of ACEs as a significant negative predictor only in the combined model indicates a suppressor effect, highlighting the complex relationship between childhood adversity and current motivational patterns. The study reveals that modern relationship commitment among Nigerian emerging adults is influenced less by traditional duty-based models and more by satisfaction-seeking behaviours, while childhood adversity creates vulnerabilities that interact with other psychological factors. These findings have important implications for relationship counselling, youth development programs, and understanding the evolving relationship dynamics in contemporary society.