The Protective Power of Positivity in Childhood
Message of the Month for June 2025
What are your ACEs and PCEs scores? is not a common question you would hear sitting around with friends or family members. ACEs - Adverse Childhood Experiences - can include neglect, traumatic events, witnessing violence, or having a parent with a mental health or substance use concern. PCEs are Positive Childhood Experiences.
They both can have significant long-term effects on the mental health of some adults but some researchers have discovered that PCEs can mitigate the risk of ACEs.
What does this mean?
It shows that no matter how much adversity you have experienced, the positive can sometimes outweigh the negative.
To discover your PCEs score, answer the following questions and add up the total. How much or how often during your childhood, did you:
feel able to talk to your family about feelings;
feel your family stood by you during difficult times;
enjoy participating in community traditions;
feel a sense of belonging in high school;
feel supported by friends;
have at least two non-parent adults who took genuine interest in you; and
feel safe and protected by an adult in your home.
Researchers found that when participants reported having strong friendships, a supportive school environment, and a safe neighborhood, they were less likely to report poor health outcomes in adulthood, EVEN those who grew up with adversity.
Some adverse childhood experiences are unavoidable, like the death of a parent or a divorce or separation of parents. But the good news is that positive childhood experiences can help stabilize a child, build resilience, and improve mental health outcomes as adults. This positive foundation can serve children well into adulthood.
The core of PCEs is connection. The more connected children feel to their parents or caregivers, other supportive adults in their lives, and their school or community, the better the outcomes.
So how can we assure we are creating positive childhood experiences for all the youth in our lives? Here are just a few suggestions.
Express affection regularly, offering opportunities for them to bond and feel safe.
Help your child identify and communicate their feelings; model this in your own life too.
Take an interest in their friends, passions, and interests.
Involve children in community activities, school events, celebrations, and volunteer opportunities to foster a sense of belonging.
Connect children to trusted adults and positive mentors, like coaches, teachers, or family friends.
Assure the child’s world is predictable, so they feel a sense of security. This doesn’t mean a rigid schedule but kids thrive on routine and knowing what to expect.
Consistently recognize and show acceptance for the person they are and who they are becoming. Praise their wins and comfort their losses.
Like a building’s foundation, the more positive childhood experiences, the stronger their core will be. So when the rain pours and the lightning strikes, they will stand a better chance of coming out the other side more resilient.
But PCEs don’t apply only to children. If you who didn’t experience a positive and supportive childhood, that doesn’t mean you cannot cultivate positive experiences in adulthood to counteract the negative. It’s not too late to build a foundation that will take you through adulthood.
Read more about PCES:
