Adverse and positive childhood experiences, and their association with children’s involvement in violence

Why we funded this 

Previous research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – such as experiencing child abuse, domestic violence, and parental substance misuse – are associated with later involvement in violence. However, positive life experiences (PCEs) – such as connectedness to family, peers, school, and community – are associated with decreased risk.  There is also evidence that the relationship between ACEs, PCEs and involvement in violence is affected by the amount of crime in the local area. Despite this, there is limited existing research in the UK that has examined the role that ACEs and PCEs play, and how they interact, to affect children and young peoples involved in violence. 

What are the main research questions 

This project examines whether adverse child experiences, positive child experiences, and the levels of violent crime in the areas children grow up in, are associated with their later involvement in violence. 

The main questions this project sets out to answer, are: 

• To what extent are positive and negative childhood experiences related to young people’s involvement in violence? And can positive childhood experiences offset the risks of negative ones? 

• Does the level of neighbourhood crime help to explain which children become involved in violence? 

• How does the association between positive and negative childhood experiences, neighbourhood crime and later involvement in violence vary by children’s ethnicity and gender? 

What the analysis involves 

This study draws primarily on data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a study tracking a cohort of children born around the year 2000 in England and Wales. It also uses police-recorded crime data to understand the amount of violent crime in the local area. The study looks at the associations between ACEs, PCEs and neighbourhood violence on three self-reported violence outcomes measured at ages 14 and 17: assault perpetration; carrying or using a weapon; and, gang involvement. 

The ACEs examined by this study include: having a single parent; parental breakup; domestic violence; verbal abuse; physical abuse; parental alcohol abuse; parental drug use; parental mental health; poor parental relationship; poor parent-child relationship; and, parental long-term disability/illness. The PCEs examined include: having low-risk peers; positive peer experiences; good school connectedness; positive teacher-child relationships; activities and hobbies; living in a safe neighbourhood; and, feeling safe in the playground. 

Please refer to the analytical protocol for more details.