A groundbreaking study has developed the first comprehensive assessment of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among Northern Ireland's adult population.
ACEs are defined as traumatic or stressful experiences that occur in childhood, including physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic abuse, parental separation, growing up in a household where there are adults with mental health or drug or alcohol problems or who have spent time in prison.
These experiences can have enduring consequences on mental and physical well-being throughout life.
The findings of the study were launched on February 6 in the 120-page report titled "The Prevalence and Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Northern Ireland."
Today we are launching Northern Ireland’s first Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) prevalence study. This ground-breaking research sheds light on the impact of childhood adversity, trauma and exposure to violence.
Join the event online here👇https://t.co/43TdeD1XAu pic.twitter.com/oukFJuZ9kz
— Ending The Harm (@endingtheharm) February 6, 2025
The research was commissioned by Northern Ireland's Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC), which aims for safer communities in Northern Ireland, resilient to paramilitarism, criminality, and coercive control.
The research was initiated following observations of high trauma levels among participants in the EPPOC, highlighting the need for trauma-informed approaches across Northern Ireland.
The study, led by a team from Queen's University Belfast, found that 60% of respondents reported at least one ACE, and 17.6% of respondents expereienced four or more ACEs, a critical threshold associated with significantly elevated health and social risks.
The study also highlighted that both ACEs and Troubles-related trauma were disproportionately concentrated in socio-economically disadvantaged communities, creating further challenges for some areas.
This study is far more than an academic exercise. It shows the many layers of our collective experience. The study reveals:
🔵60% of adults in N. Ireland report at least one traumatic childhood event
🔵Nearly 1 in 5 have experienced four or more traumatic childhood events
— Ending The Harm (@endingtheharm) February 6, 2025
There are few other studies like this in post-conflict settings such as Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland's Department of Justice said upon the report's publication.
“For the first time, the true extent of childhood trauma and its impact on all people in Northern Ireland has been documented and measured for all to see," Northern Ireland's Minister for Justice Naomi Long commented upon the report's publication this month.
"The findings from this research are both striking and sobering," Minister Long said.
"We now have crucial evidence of how childhood trauma shapes life outcomes in Northern Ireland.
"The findings show clear correlations between higher exposure to trauma in childhood and many negative outcomes, including poorer educational achievement, chronic health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain, increased exposure to domestic violence, addiction, poor mental health and health-harming behaviours.
"These are significant findings, which will impact and inform policy and delivery across the Executive.”
She continued: “That 60% of our adult population reports at least one traumatic childhood event, with nearly one in five experiencing four or more, represents a major public health challenge.
"More specifically, the finding that 30% of respondents reported conflict-specific adversities illuminates the unique context of trauma in Northern Ireland.
"Perhaps most concerning is the evidence that, despite being almost 27 years past the Good Friday Agreement, our younger generation continues to experience trauma linked to paramilitary activity.”
Understanding our past is not about reopening wounds. By mapping childhood adversity, we create a comprehensive understanding of how historical conflicts have shaped us. pic.twitter.com/ZKy3cYJqUy
— Ending The Harm (@endingtheharm) February 6, 2025
Dr. Colm Walsh, an academic from Queen’s University Belfast who led the study, commented: “What we see here is the long arm of early adversities, the impact of which extends beyond childhood, affecting a number of key outcomes, ranging from educational attainment, physical and mental health, substance use, and offending.
"Compared with those who report no ACEs, those who reported four or more, were almost nine times more likely to be excluded from school as a child, eight times more likely to have been arrested, and three times more likely to have used illicit drugs in the previous year as an adult.”
Programme Director Adele Brown noted: "These findings underscore the critical importance of understanding and addressing childhood trauma in Northern Ireland.
"27 years on from a historical peace agreement, our young people deserve a level playing field where intergenerational and domestic trauma doesn’t hold them back. They have the right not just to peace but a quality of peace.
"That means making sure that we all question the impact trauma could be having on our friends, family and colleagues and public services and learn how to respond effectively to it.
"This is much wider than specialist responses, this is about everyday interactions, too.
"We very much hope that the study's findings will inform policy development and service provision across health, education, justice, and social services sectors in Northern Ireland."
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