Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Resilience and School Success in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders face known academic challenges and poor life outcomes. It was imperative to explore and find if the new diagnostic criterion for diagnosing autism profoundly affects educational outcomes and resilience in individuals diagnosed with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The literature is robust on the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on educational outcomes and resilience in adolescents with no history of disability. Still, there remains a dearth of literature explaining, with no ambiguity, the complex relationships between ACEs and resilience, school engagement, and success in individuals with co-occurring ASD and ADHD. This study reviews the existing scholarships on the topic. The significance of this review is that it informs healthcare providers, rehabilitation counselors, and educators about the need for early identification of individuals with ASD and ADHD with a background in ACEs. This will enable interventions early enough to ensure they are more resilient and can obtain improved success in school-related and outside-school activities and eventually improved quality of life.

The impact of adverse childhood events on service support and educational outcomes of children who are autistic: A theory‐guided analysis using structural equation modeling

“…Our study highlights the urgent need for communitiesincluding healthcare providers and educators-to recognize the potential long-term impact of ACEs on the academic outcomes of autistic children (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). The integration of trauma-informed care into clinical practice for these children (Langenfeld et al, 2021), which includes understanding how ACEs can affect children's academic, social, and emotional development, would likely have a positive impact on educational outcomes.…”

Examining adverse childhood experiences and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review

“…Additionally, research shows that resilience may moderate the effects of ACEs on ADHD symptoms, and including early intervention programs may lead to better overall outcomes. Three studies examine this idea and demonstrate that there were significant interactions between exposure to ACEs and family resilience as well as significant interactions between ACE exposure and community resilience (Adaralegbe et al, 2022; Ding et al, 2019; Okwori, 2022). Those who had encountered four or more ACEs were less likely to develop ADHD, behavioral disorders, anxiety, or depression if they possessed all of the resilience measures individually and through the community (Okwori, 2022).…”

“…The importance of uncovering potential buffering effects and differences based on other comorbidities is that it allows us to educate healthcare professionals on the necessity of early detection of people with ASD and ADHD who have a history of ACEs. This will allow for early intervention to make sure they are developing resilience strategies, can succeed in school-related and extracurricular activities, and eventually enhance their quality of life (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). It is important to note that resilience is not a binary concept that is either present or absent and should instead be viewed as a continuum (Adaralegbe et al, 2022).…”

“…This will allow for early intervention to make sure they are developing resilience strategies, can succeed in school-related and extracurricular activities, and eventually enhance their quality of life (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). It is important to note that resilience is not a binary concept that is either present or absent and should instead be viewed as a continuum (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). Positive protective factors can contribute significantly to resilience and positive outcomes and these include opportunities for social engagement, nurturing relationships, and residing in a safe neighborhood (Adaralegbe et al, 2022).…”

“…It is important to note that resilience is not a binary concept that is either present or absent and should instead be viewed as a continuum (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). Positive protective factors can contribute significantly to resilience and positive outcomes and these include opportunities for social engagement, nurturing relationships, and residing in a safe neighborhood (Adaralegbe et al, 2022). Mediation variables found have helped to explain the relationship between ACEs and ADHD while moderating variables discovered have been shown to impact the strength and direction of the relationship.…”