Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adolescent Handgun Carrying: The Moderating Role of School Connectedness

• In Event: Childhood Strain and Crime: Empirical Approaches

Abstract

Corresponding with the expectations of general strain theory, much existing literature has revealed that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can exert significant effects on a wide range of delinquent behavior among adolescents. Though handgun carrying represents a type of delinquency that is particularly policy-relevant given its close ties to gun violence, less work has investigated whether ACEs are associated with an increased likelihood of carrying a handgun among youth. Moreover, absent from this prior literature is an examination of how adolescents’ feelings of connectedness with their teachers and school environments can moderate the association between ACEs and handgun carrying. According to social bond theory and social support theory, it may be hypothesized that school connectedness might be a protective buffer against handgun carrying for children who experience ACEs, whereas weak bonds to school may lead youth with ACEs exposure to seek protection through handgun carrying. This study explores these direct and interactive relationships using data from the 2022 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), which was administered to a large statewide representative sample of middle and high school students. The findings reveal that ACEs represent a risk factor for adolescent handgun carrying, but the moderating role of school connectedness is complex.

Authors

• Kelly Martinez, Sam Houston State University

• Peter S. Lehmann, Sam Houston State University