Pathways of Resilience: Countering Deficit Narratives in Examining Childhood Protective Factors Among Black Adults

• In Event: Examining Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma, and Criminological Theory to Understand Delinquency and Risky Behavior

Abstract

The detrimental effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health are well documented, yet comparatively few studies explore why some children thrive in adulthood despite toxic early life experiences. This imbalance reflects the dominance of a deficit model in health research, particularly when studying Black individuals who disproportionately experience high levels of stressors across the lifespan. Supportive resources available to youth may protect against early life stressors, promoting healthy aging through “pathways of resilience.” Using prospective longitudinal data from 436 Black adults collected in 2015-2016, we examine how early life experiences shape cardiovascular health in adulthood. Data from 1997-2000 assess ACE exposure when participants were 10-12 years old. We analyze prospective self-reported data from childhood and adolescence to examine access to supportive resources across three contexts: neighborhood, peer, mentor, and school, and family contexts. Health-related covariates are included as well. We employ confirmatory factor analyses, mediated moderation models, and structural equation models to test direct and indirect effects between cardiovascular disease risk, ACEs, and resiliency pathways. We will assess how protective factors mediate or moderate ACE-related health risks. Preliminary results establish associations between early life experiences with cardiovascular health. Findings will provide insight into promoting healthier aging, beginning in childhood.

Authors

• Mark T. Berg, University of Iowa

• Kendall Riley, University of Iowa

• Yi-Fang Lu, University of Iowa

• Man Kit Lei, University of Georgia-Athens

• Ethan M. Rogers, University of Iowa

• Ron L. Simons, University of Georgia-Athens