Journal of Student Research 2018

16 Journal Student Research a child. Her parents verbally fought quite often; she feels this was a result of her mother’s problem drinking. She remembers her mother often being unaware of her own actions or able to care for herself. After witnessing how alcohol affected her family she was very against drinking. The participant’s mother suffered from extreme mood swings both while sober and intoxicated. She said that her mother was often reserved and would go days without interacting with the family. This prevented the participant from being able to bond with her mother. Participant 2 noted that she experienced thoughts of suicide while she lived with her mother and step-father. Participant 2 feels that although she experienced childhood trauma, she was able to be successful in life. She just graduated with a degree in Psychology and plans to work in Child Welfare. The participant said that although her childhood wasn’t terrible, she still wants to prevent children from enduring the trauma she has. Participant 3 moved around a lot during her childhood. She lived with her mother and older brother; however there were always other people living with them. Her father died when she was very young. Growing up, her brother was always in and out of jail. Her mother and brother were often under the influence of drugs, which led to many arguments between them. She said she was often sent to her room during these times. The participant was exposed to multiple street drugs in her childhood home, including methamphetamine and marijuana. Participant 3 said that because of her mother being on drugs, she often went without proper meals. She was made to take care of herself most of the time, which made her feel independent at a young age. She said she tries to compress her memories so that she doesn’t think about the trauma she endured as a child. She feels that she has a lot of “mental problems,” including anxiety and depression, as a result of her experiences. The participant said she was still able to lean on her father’s family during times of need, which helped her remain hopeful and optimistic. Participant 3 expressed that the trauma she endured allowed her a different perspective on life. She demonstrated a passion for helping others. She had recently been exposed to the field of social work and found it to be intriguing. While she is unsure if she will pursue a career in social work, she said her experiences have driven her desire to help others. She believes her experiences would give her an advantage if she ever worked one-on-one with clients. Participant 3