Adverse and Protective Childhood Experiences: A developmental perspective

This book consolidates the most recent and scientifically sound research on childhood adversity and what developmental scientists know about preventing and treating the long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It describes relevant discoveries from psychology, neuroscience, biology, and integrative medicine. The book begins with an overview of ACEs and protective and compensatory experiences (PACEs), then describes the neurobiological and intergenerational effects of ACEs and PACEs, and ends with research and ideas for helping adults, children, and communities develop plans for minimizing the negative effects of ACEs and promoting PACEs. Many chapters have activities that aim to help readers apply the science to everyday life, and there is a list of resources and suggested readings, as well as questions for reflection, at the end of the book. The audience for this book is students, researchers, clinicians, and health care providers who want to gain knowledge regarding the interdisciplinary science of early life adversity, lifelong resilience, and related intervention and prevention programming. This book can be used to reflect on one's own history of adversity and resilience and to help others who are dealing with the lifelong effects of ACEs. Finally, this book is intended to launch new investigations into ACEs and PACEs, to provide an interdisciplinary lens through which to view the multiple types of effects of enduring childhood experiences, and to recommend evidence-based approaches for protecting and buffering children and repairing the negative consequences of ACEs as adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)