Charismatic Adults as a Resiliency Factor against Adverse Childhood Experiences

Sanchez, C.¹, Kerner, A.¹, Scott, D.^1
1Bowie State University, 14000 Jericho Park Rd, 20715, Bowie

 

Submission type

Oral only

Scheduled

Room 117, 12-07-2019, 14:00 - 15:30

Keywords

charismatic adults, adverse childhood experiences, resiliency factor

Summary

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events that an individual may encounter from birth to 18. ACEs include physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, intimate partner violence, substance misuse within the household, household mental illness, parental separation/divorce, and/or incarceration of a household member. This quantitative study investigates the potentiality of charismatic adults to serve as resiliency factors against ACEs and will collect data from individuals who have experienced one or more ACEs. A charismatic adult is defined as a supportive adult who is encouraging and reinforces the skills necessary for effective adaptation (Brooks, 2015). A database analysis for individuals in a violence intervention program in the United States found that 56.3% of the participants reported three or more ACES and 34.5% reported more than five (Corbin et. al, 2013). ACE exposure is associated with academic failure, attendance problems, and school behavior problems (Blodgett & Lanigan, 2018). This study sheds light on the effect that these overwhelming encounters can have on academic and social functioning. The findings could provide knowledge to school psychologists around the world regarding the potential buffer that being supportive and encouraging could serve in protecting students from the devastating effects of ACEs.

Auteurs