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. 2020 Oct;32(4):1418-1439.
doi: 10.1017/S095457941900138X.

Adverse childhood experiences: Mechanisms of risk and resilience in a longitudinal urban cohort

Alison Giovanelli  1   2 , Christina F Mondi  1 , Arthur J Reynolds  1 , Suh-Ruu Ou  1
Affiliations

Adverse childhood experiences: Mechanisms of risk and resilience in a longitudinal urban cohort

Alison Giovanelli et al. Dev Psychopathol. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

There is an extensive literature describing the detrimental effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE; e.g., abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) on physical and mental health. However, few large-scale studies have explored these associations longitudinally in urban minority cohorts or assessed links to broader measures of well-being such as educational attainment, occupation, and crime. Although adversity and resilience have long been of interest in developmental psychology, protective and promotive factors have been understudied in the ACE literature. This paper investigates the psychosocial processes through which ACEs contribute to outcomes, in addition to exploring ways to promote resilience to ACEs in vulnerable populations. Follow-up data were analyzed for 87% of the original 1,539 participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study (N = 1,341), a prospective investigation of the impact of an Early Childhood Education program and early experiences on life-course well-being. Findings suggest that ACEs impact well-being in low-socioeconomic status participants above and beyond the effects of demographic risk and poverty, and point to possible mechanisms of transmission of ACE effects. Results also identify key areas across the ecological system that may promote resilience to ACEs, and speak to the need to continue to support underserved communities in active ways.

Keywords: ACEs; generative mechanisms; risk and resilience; underserved communities.

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Figures

Figure A.
Figure A.
ACE pyramid (Center for Disease Control, CDC)
Figure B.
Figure B.
Conceptual framework of mediation model. ITBS = Iowa Test of Basic Skills; MA = motivational advantage hypothesis; CA = cognitive advantage hypothesis; SA = social adjustment hypothesis; FS = family support hypothesis; SS = school support hypothesis.
Figure C.
Figure C.
Associations between ACEs and outcomes Note: Zero ACEs is reference group *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001
Figure D.
Figure D.
Associations between early childhood ACEs and outcomes by neighborhood poverty Note: Zero ACEs is reference group
Figure E.
Figure E.
Effects of motivational advantage mediator: Males with high ACEs in early childhood Note: Zero ACEs is reference group *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001
Figure F.
Figure F.
Select effects of school support mediator for participants with high ACEs 0–18 Note: Zero ACEs is reference group *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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