Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): challenges for the agency of early adolescents adolescents (10 to 14 years old)

• Grant number: 23/07962-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane da Silva Cabral
• Grantee: Nicolas Kimura Generoso
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on dimensions of youth agency - Freedom of Movement (FM), Decision-Making Power (DMP), and Voice - in 974 adolescents aged 10 to 14 years in a peripheral community in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study (baseline phase of the Global Early Adolescent Study - GEAS) was conducted during 2021. Data were collected through a self-administered survey conducted at participants' homes with the assistance of interviewers and Community Health Agents (CHAs). Statistical analysis was performed using multiple linear modeling with RStudio (version 2023.03.1+446). Dependent variables were analyzed in relation to predictors of Individual Characteristics (IC), Family Characteristics (FC), and Relationships with Friends (RF), with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: Findings indicate that, beyond individual characteristics such as age and puberty, the influence of peer groups and caregivers significantly affects dimensions of youth agency. ACEs are associated with greater FM, suggesting a search for refuge outside the home environment, reflecting the complexity of the relationship between adversity and autonomy. Girls reported greater FM, often linked to activities monitored by 105 caregivers, creating an illusory sense of freedom. Socioeconomic factors significantly impact these youths, highlighting that many activities may require financial resources not available to their families, undermining aspects of FM and DMP. Conclusion: Evaluating youth agency challenges the unidimensional view that greater agency always indicates a positive context. Gender differences, resource limitations, and support from central figures such as caregivers and friends are essential factors in nurturing adolescents' agency, particularly in contexts marked by vulnerabilities and adversities