The Impact of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE)

“Children are resilient! They adapt easily to new situations.” Or at least the impression we often have of children is that they easily navigate change, challenges/suffering, new situations or new people. And while this can be true, it is not guaranteed. New research demonstrates what can negatively impact or positively impact a child’s ability to be resilient.

"È un mito che i bambini siano naturalmente resilienti. La resilienza deve essere costruita, nutrita e curata" Lauren Wells

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): potentially traumatic events occurring before age 18. These experiences, such as violence or parental separation, can cause toxic stress disrupting brain development and lead to long-term physical/mental health issues. Based on the CDC study and related literature, ACEs are generally categorised into three types: abuse, neglect and household dysfunction.

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): PCEs describe a set of interpersonal relationships between family, friends in school and in community that fosters a child's capacity to thrive. These experiences often buffer against the negative effects of ACEs.

Let’s have an important conversation about our Third Culture Kids. As we talked about in this article, TCKs have both many advantages and giftings that come from the life that they live, as well as many challenges that they face due to their global mobility. It is important that we understand both and learn to support our TCKs in the unique challenges that they face. One way we can learn about this is through ACEs and PCEs. Recent research has given us important information about the importance of PCEs, particularly in the lives of children with higher ACEs. Preventative care is foundational to having healthy kids who become healthy adults and that is why we are talking about this topic today.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are higher among Third Culture Kids (TCKs) primarily due to the chronic stress of high mobility, repeated loss and unique environmental risks. Research indicates one in five TCKs report high-risk ACE scores often driven by frequent relocations, boarding school and lack of belonging. Some of the unique TCK risk factors include specific often unaddressed traumas, such as witnessing violence in host countries, experiencing intense unresolved grief from constant goodbyes and experiencing the loss of community.

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) combat adverse childhood experiences by building resilience, buffering stress and promoting secure attachments that foster better mental and physical health. High levels of PCEs such as having trusted adults, safe environments and community support can reduce the negative long-term impacts of toxic stress, including depression and poor health, even among children with high ACE scores.

PCEs can actually buffer the impact of aces on mental health in some cases are even stronger predictors of well-being than aces themselves. Just like ACEs, the benefits of PCEs are dose responsive. The more positive experiences a child has, the more likely they are to have better mental health as adults. PCEs buffer against negative, lifelong health effects caused by exposure to ACEs. Emerging research also suggests that the absence of PCEs may be more damaging to the long-term health outcomes than the presence of ACEs.

Three to five PCEs, reduce the likelihood of depression and poor mental health by 50% and six to seven PCEs, reduce the likelihood of depression and poor mental health by 72% (Bethell C, Jones J, Gombojav N, Linkenbach J, Sege R, Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental and Relational Health in a Statewide Sample: Associations Across Adverse Childhood Experiences Levels).

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) help to create a firm foundation and protect against possible ACEs. What are the things that actually make a difference in having kids who are healthy while living abroad? And what are the things that contribute to children who grow into healthy ATCKs? The research shows that there are 7 (or 8 depending on the research) experiences that create resilience in our children:

Inside the Home:

1. They feel heard by their parents in the home.

2. They feel supported and prioritized by their parents.

3. They feel safe and protected by at least one adult in the home.

4. They have traditions and routines that they can look forward to.

Outside the Home:

5. They have supportive friends.

6. They feel a sense of belonging with peers, mentors and teachers.

7. They have at least two non-parent adults who really care about them.

8. They are part of a multi generational group.

We’ll come back to these foundational points often, sharing different ways to implement them in our family’s life. Your child may have several of these already, or several of them may be missing. You may feel strong in one and lacking in others. The important thing is to start somewhere. Preventative care is foundational for the mental health of our TCKs. We cannot wait until they are teenagers and begin demonstrating the consequences of having suffered from adverse experiences. We must begin building these foundations from the time they come into our lives, proactively working to build their resilience and to raise healthy TCKs who become healthy adults. Don’t wait. Start today. Whether your child is 1 or ten, begin today building these foundational support pillars into their lives.

“Positive experiences are the food, not the medicine.” Dr. Robert Sege

There is some literature out there online to learn more about PCEs. If you read English make sure to check out Positiveexperience.org, TCKtraining.com,