About this srcd poster session

---

Panel information
Panel 31. Solicited Content: Integrative Developmental Science

Abstract

---

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been widely recognized for their significant long-term effects on children's social-emotional development. Children exposed to high levels of adversity, such as household dysfunction, abuse, or community violence, are at an increased risk of experiencing social-emotional difficulties that can impair their academic achievement, mental health, and future societal engagement. However, a critical gap exists in the literature regarding how these experiences impact young children, particularly those from marginalized groups, including racially minoritized children and children with disabilities. Research has consistently shown that marginalized children often have poor social-emotional development, yet the underlying causes of these disparities—particularly the roles of racism and ableism—remain underexplored.

This study aims to address these gaps by investigating the relationship between ACEs and social-emotional development in early childhood, with a specific focus on how experiences of racism and ableism contribute to social-emotional disparities. It will examine how these forms of discrimination intersect with ACEs to affect young children’s social-emotional development. The insights gained from this research aim to provide a more holistic understanding of young children's development and guide the development of targeted interventions that support the well-being of at-risk children, especially those affected by systemic inequities.

The current study employs secondary data analysis from the 2021 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) to explore the impact of ACEs on children's social-emotional development. Focusing on a U.S. sample of children aged 3-5 (N=12,000; 52.2% male), the study uses parent-reported data on ACE-related factors (e.g., domestic violence, parental incarceration, and racial discrimination). The primary outcome is children's social-emotional development, measured through parent-reported surveys that assess adaptive and maladaptive functioning, categorized into four subtypes: Adaptive, Average, Moderate Need, and High Need. Multinomial regression models were used to analyze the relationship between ACEs and social-emotional profiles, controlling for demographics (e.g., age, gender, parent education, poverty status, and disability status). Additionally, the study investigates how experiences of racism and ableism contribute to social-emotional health disparities.

Findings reveal a strong association between ACE exposure and poorer social-emotional outcomes (Table 1). Children exposed to higher levels of ACEs are significantly more likely to fall into the "Moderate Need" and "High Need" profiles, compared to the "Adaptive" profile. Disabilities are significantly associated with higher social-emotional difficulties, with children with disabilities being 26.31 times more likely to fall into the "High Need" groups. Moreover, the study finds that experiences of racism and ableism exacerbate these risks. For example, children reported to have been unfairly judged due to disabilities (Table 2, Model 1) or race/ethnicity (Table 2, Model 2) are significantly more likely to be categorized as “Moderate Need” or "High Need," highlighting the profound impact of structural inequities on children's development. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions that address both the direct effects of ACEs and the systemic inequalities that contribute to adverse development. Policies aimed at reducing childhood adversity must also address broader societal issues, including racism and ableism, to promote healthier development for all children, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Author information

Author	Role
Chin-Chih Chen, Ph.D., Vriginia Commonwealth University	Presenting author
Jamie Cage, Yaoying Xu	Non-presenting author
Fa Zhang, N/A	Non-presenting author

⇦ Back to session