Why Childhood Toxic Experiences and Early Maladaptive Schemas Affect Negatively One's Psychological Capital?

Abstract

Positive psychological capital, as a worthwhile resource for individuals as well as organizations, has drawn the attention of researchers in both psychology and management fields. This neglected construct recently named as one of the significant competitive advantages of organizations. It also plays an important role in individual success. Scholars reveal that early toxic experiences and relevant maladaptive schemas would influence negatively on an individual's psychological capital. Although quantitative research reported that psychological capital can be affected by childhood experiences, there appears no research on the mechanism of this relationship. Hence, this article aims to answer the question of why early adverse experiences can deplete one's psychological capital. Two theories, including Information Process Theory and Brain Development, were employed to justify the relationship this article aimed to find.