We’ve learned a great deal about the ways difficult experiences in childhood can affect us throughout our lives. But what about the other side of the story? What are the experiences that help children feel safe, connected, supported and able to thrive, even when they face adversity?
You may have already heard of ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, a term used to describe traumatic experiences during childhood that can have lasting effects on health and wellbeing. Most of the systems serving children and families are focused on addressing the gaps and harms affecting children. But more recent research points to the importance of another side of the equation: positive childhood experiences, sometimes referred to as PCEs, and their potential to buffer the effects of childhood adversity.
This counterpart to ACEs was explored in a landmark 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics.1 Led by Dr. Christina Bethell at Johns Hopkins University, the study found that positive experiences in childhood, including safe, stable, and nurturing relationships, were associated with better mental health in adulthood. The researchers identified seven specific, measurable PCEs, ranging from having supportive relationships with adults outside the family to feeling a sense of belonging at school. These experiences can be to let a child knows they matter: a favorite teacher who notices a child’s strengths and encourages them, a trusted grandparent who takes time to listen, or the sense of belonging that comes from participating in a family or community cultural tradition. The more positive experiences people reported, the lower their likelihood of experiencing depression or poor mental health as adults, even among those who had experienced significant adversity during childhood.
These findings point to an important shift in how we think about childhood adversity. Preventing and addressing harmful experiences is essential, but we also need to pay attention to what helps children thrive. Supportive relationships, a sense of belonging, safe and nurturing environments, and opportunities to develop their strengths can give children important resources to draw on when they encounter adversity.
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (2019). For better adult mental and relational health, boost positive childhood experiences. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2019/for-better-adult-mental-and-relational-health-boost-positive-childhood-experiences ↩︎