Invisible barriers and lasting scars for racially/ethnically minoritized youth: The role of state‐level opportunity on adverse childhood experiences exposure risk

Abstract Previous research has shown there are racial/ethnic disparities in exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can affect youths’ physical and mental well‐being. Structural opportunity factors—including a lack of economic, community, educational, and health resources—may increase exposure to ACEs among youth of color relative to non‐Hispanic White youth. This study explored connections between state‐level opportunity and ACE exposures and examined differences by race/ethnicity within the United States ( N = 46,395). Average cumulative ACEs were generally significantly higher among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic Black youth relative to non‐Hispanic White youth, p < .001. Non‐Hispanic Black youth had higher average cumulative ACEs scores within 28 U.S. states relative to non‐Hispanic White youth. Hispanic youth had higher ACE exposures in 18 states relative to non‐Hispanic White youth. States with higher opportunity scores were in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. Multilevel model analyses showed that as state‐level opportunity increased (i.e., education, healthcare, economic, community), youth's exposure to ACEs decreased significantly for non‐Hispanic White youth but not non‐Hispanic Black, p = .031, or Hispanic youth, p = .002, r 2 conditional = .059, who, on average, experienced more ACEs. The findings suggest a structural exclusion of minoritized youth from potential macro‐level protective factors (e.g., high state‐level opportunity), highlighting a need for systemic interventions to decrease racial/ethnic disparities in ACE exposures. The results align with previous research demonstrating that the historical and institutional effects of discrimination may shape disparities in accessing and benefiting from quality education, health care, economic, and community resources.