Children who have lived through a series of adverse childhood experiences also face an increased risk of homelessness during their childhood, according to a new study from the University of Cincinnati School of Social Work.
The study, led by Edson Chipalo, Ph.D., assistant professor in UC’s College of Allied Health Sciences, was recently published in the journal Child Indicators Research. Drawing on data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, the research adds to a growing body of evidence that childhood trauma can have long-lasting harmful consequences, particularly for children living in settings with limited resources.
Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur before a child turns 18 years old. These can include exposure to violence, abuse, neglect, discrimination, household dysfunction and other serious psychosocial stressors. Previous research has shown that such events are linked to delayed development and poor long-term health outcomes, including mental health disorders, substance use and chronic illnesses…