Developmental challenges of children and adolescents with Adverse Childhood Experiences in Greece

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including child abuse, neglect, and socioeconomic hardships, significantly affect children's development. This study examines social communication skills, temperament, and socioemotional problems in children and adolescents with and without ACEs. The sample consisted of 110 children and adolescents (8–18 years old) with ACEs from hospitals and child protection institutions and a control group without ACEs, along with forty-nine professional caregivers or parents. The study employed caregiver-completed demographic questionnaires, the Global Tales for social-communication skills, the Early Adolescents Temperament Questionnaire (EATQ-R) for temperament assessment, and the Achenbach’s Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for socioemotional problems. Results indicated that children with ACEs exhibited significant impairments in social communication skills, lower effortful control and connectivity, and higher levels of negative affect. Additionally, those in hospitals displayed elevated anxiety/depression, rule-breaking behavior, and social problems compared to their institutionalized or family-living peers. These findings highlight the profound developmental impact of ACEs and the necessity for targeted interventions.