Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic childhood events with enduring repercussions on child well-being, while positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have been identified in emerging research as capable of offsetting the effects of ACEs. However, little research investigates the combined impact of ACEs and PCEs on child outcomes, which can inform better aid for children exposed to ACEs. The purpose of this study is to address these important gaps in existing ACE literature. Using data from the National Survey of Child Health (NSCH) 2020-2021 (N = 60,809), I examine the individual and interactive effects of ACE, PCEs, and gender on childhood anxiety or depression diagnoses and conduct or behavior problems. The results reveal that ACEs and PCEs are individually associated with anxiety or depression diagnoses and conduct behavioral problems for children. Moreover, PCEs slightly dampen the effect of ACEs on child health and behavior outcomes, though this is not the case at higher ACE scores. Furthermore, I find that the relationship between ACEs, PCEs, and child outcomes did not differ by gender. These findings underscore the importance of policy interventions that target the promotion of positive childhood experiences and targeted support for children at risk of ACEs.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-04-25

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13588

Keywords

adverse childhood experiences, positive childhood experiences, mental health, behavior

Language

english

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