Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Psychology, BA, BS
School
CAS
Department
Psychology Department
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Michele Ramirez
Abstract
This paper explores the lasting impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on adolescents’ self-esteem and self-appraisal, with a focus on the role of school-based interventions in mitigating these effects. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) encompass various forms of trauma such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, and familial dysfunction during childhood. Due to adolescence being a critical period of identity formation and emotional development, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can significantly undermine adolescents' self-esteem, leading to lasting negative effects. These effects include various emotional, social, and psychological challenges, ultimately changing one’s life trajectory. Based on numerous theoretical foundations, it is supported that school involvement and interventions can help mitigate some of these challenges and impacts. In terms of time and connections, school is a major aspect of a youth’s life, therefore if this time is spent helping build self-esteem and resilience in youth affected by ACEs, an extreme benefit can be seen in one’s post-traumatic growth. The importance of researching this topic is significant for several reasons. Overall, researching this topic helps to better understand the long-term effects of ACEs, improve adolescent mental health and development outcomes, foster positive school environments, as well as create early intervention and prevention.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Moses, Kayla M., "Measuring the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Adolescents’ Self-Esteem and Self-Appraisal: How Can School-Based Interventions Help?" (2025). Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects. 41.
https://dc.suffolk.edu/undergrad/41
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, School Psychology Commons, Theory and Philosophy Commons