Positive Impact of Education Class for Parents with Adverse Childhood Experiences on Child Behavior

Abstract

Positive Impact of Education Class for Parents with Adverse Childhood Experiences on Child Behavior Hannah Giunta, DO, PhD, Magdalena Romanowicz, MD, Amy Baker, BA, Peggy O'Toole-Martin, MS, and Brian A. Lynch, MD What Is the Problem? • Adverse childhood events (ACEs) are a risk factor for a variety of poor health and developmental outcomes. • There is little information on low-cost interventions that help to ameliorate the impact of ACEs on childhood outcomes. • The importance of family resilience in overcoming ACEs is well-known. • Community education classes may provide a way to build parenting skills among parents with children at risk for poor developmental outcomes and potential ACEs exposure. What Are the Findings? • Children of parents who participated in a series of community educational classes showed improvement in their psychosocial development as measured by the ASQ:SE 2. • This improvement was independent of parental ACEs scores. • Screening for ACEs in the community setting was feasible and acceptable to class participants. Who Should Care Most? • School districts and other community education providers. • Health care professionals. • Policymakers. • Nonprofit organizations. • Grant providers. Recommendations for Action • Consider designing additional community educational interventions aimed at families and children who have been exposed to ACEs and are at risk of poor health and developmental outcomes. • Consider screening for ACEs outside the office setting. [End Page e1] Hannah Giunta Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic Magdalena Romanowicz Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Amy Baker Rochester, MN Public Schools Peggy O'Toole-Martin Rochester, MN Public Schools Brian A. Lynch Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic Corresponding author: Brian A. Lynch, MD, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine; Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 (Lynch.Brian@mayo.edu). (Phone: 507-266-4936 and FAX: 507-284-3365) Copyright © 2021 Johns Hopkins University Press