Trauma & Resilience

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are experiences with the potential to harm children’s physical, social, and emotional development. These experiences can be interpersonal, such as experiences of abuse and neglect or parental substance abuse; or systemic, such as exposure to poverty or discrimination. Exposure to adversity is not evenly distributed: Native American, Black, and Hispanic children—and youth who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning)—are more likely to be exposed to adversity than their White, Asian, and cisgender, heterosexual peers.

Childhood trauma, a possible response to exposure to adversity, has been found to strongly influence an individual’s health and development over their life course. Trauma occurs when a person perceives an event or set of circumstances as extremely frightening, harmful, or threatening—either emotionally, physically, or both. Resilience, on the other hand, is the process of positive adaptation to adversity that arises through interactions between children and their environments. Resilient responses to adversity are more likely when children and youth experience support from caring adults.

Child Trends researchers analyze data about children and adolescents, their families, and other adults who support them to better understand the impacts of trauma and identify pathways to resilience in the face of adversity. Our researchers also evaluate the role of policies, programs, and practices across multiple service settings (e.g., mental health, early childhood education, child welfare, schools, juvenile justice) in preventing and mitigating the negative impacts of trauma and promoting resilience. Our work on childhood trauma and resilience includes quantitative and qualitative research, training and technical assistance, program evaluation, policy analysis, and dissemination of current knowledge and innovations in the field. Our researchers have partnered extensively with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network as program evaluators and content experts.

Our research reaches a broad audience of policymakers, practitioners, and the general public. For example, we have been cited in media reports on CNN, PBS News Hour, the Washington Post, and Education Week; and by prominent national organizations including the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Governors Association, and the American Federation of Teachers. Our research has also been shared by policymakers at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families and the National Institute of Justice. Child Trends researchers have been published in peer-reviewed journals including School Mental Health and Journal of School Health.