Adverse childhood experiences have been directly linked to harmful negative emotional and physical behaviors among teenagers in rural Kenya according to a recent study.
This is according to a recent study by a team of researchers from the University of Nairobi and other institutions titled, “Adverse childhood experiences and associated correlates among adolescents at a rural private high school in Kenya,” which aimed to study the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and its associated effects.
According to this study, adverse childhood experiences stemming from different risk factors affect adolescents globally. The drivers for ACEs range from physical, emotional, sexual abuse, physical and emotional neglect and family dysfunctions such as substance abuse, parental divorce or separation, and domestic violence, which inform future behaviors in these minors.
This study attributed emotional and behavioral problems among children and adolescents for example, emotional problems like anxiety, depression, and social interaction difficulties, and behavioral problems including conduct problems and attention hyperactivity disorders to ACEs.
According to this study adverse childhood experiences can trigger stress responses in children. When prolonged, this toxic stress can delay healthy mental and physical development, leading to various detrimental outcomes in adulthood.
This study indicates that ACEs are associated with negative health consequences, including substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, depression, obesity, compromised physical health, lower educational achievement, poverty, and unemployment. Furthermore, ACEs have been linked to increased impulsivity and aggression, as well as behavioral issues like peer relationship difficulties and substance use.
School violence victimization and suicide among teenagers and young adults was also attributed to ACEs. Moreover, ACEs have been found to contribute to impulsive behavior and aggression as well as behavior problems such as peer problems in youth.
According to this study a high prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among vulnerable adolescents in schools was due to exposure to neglect, poverty, exploitation, and lack of care and love from parents.
The prevalence of ACEs was also found to be higher among people in disadvantaged situations such as families experiencing drug misuse, parental incarceration, and homelessness.
The study highlighted on the need for early multifaceted approach to combat adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to mitigate the effects that would otherwise stem from such experiences in latter stages of development and later in adulthood concluding that ACEs can be easily prevented and the effects easily mitigated when detected earlier on.
The study called for schools, health sectors and families to adopt approaches to effectively combat prevalence of the effects of adverse childhood experiences to minimize the effects they have on them later in early adulthood and in life.
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