Adverse childhood experiences: Mental health and educational outcomes from middle childhood to young adulthood

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are strongly associated with negative life outcomes. However, few studies have examined their impact on educational outcomes, and the impact of expanded ACEs such as bullying, community disorder, the death of a parent, a serious illness/injury, or foster care. This study aimed to examine the associations between total and individual ACEs before age 9, and mental health and educational outcomes at ages 9, 13, 17/18, and 20. There were 4729 participants (50.7% male; 43.7% urban residents) from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study. Multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine twelve ACEs, biological sex, and living region, and their associations with mental health and educational measures. Almost three-quarters (74.8%) of participants experienced at least one ACE by age 9. Total and individual ACEs weakly to moderately predicted mental health and educational outcomes ( p < .001). The ACEs most strongly associated with poorer mental health outcomes were bullying ( β ranged from 0.08 to 0.27), community disorder ( β = 0.12 to 0.16), and physical neglect ( β = −0.13 to 0.09). The ACE most strongly associated with worse educational outcomes was physical neglect ( β = −0.19 to −0.14, OR = 0.08 to 0.43). ACEs occurring before age 9 significantly worsened mental health and educational outcomes from middle childhood to young adulthood, with physical neglect and community disorder having some of the strongest associations with both outcomes. • ACEs by age 9 were associated with worse mental health and educational outcomes. • Bullying, community disorder, and physical neglect affected mental health the most. • Physical neglect affected educational outcomes the most. • ACEs by age 9 influenced outcomes from middle childhood to young adulthood.