Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Positive Mental Health of Youth and Emerging Adults
A special issue of Youth (ISSN 2673-995X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 272
Special Issue Editors
Interests: child and youth flourishing; mental health and trauma; prevention of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); implementation science; community-engaged research
Interests: child maltreatment prevention; social disparities in child and family well-being; policy research; community engaged research
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
More than two decades have passed since the inception of the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study. Since then, ACEs studies have proliferated, revealing the association between ACE exposure and a myriad of issues at the individual, familial, system, and societal levels. This Special Issue of Youth aims to examine the impact of ACEs on the positive mental health of youth and emerging adults. We particularly welcome studies that critically reflect on the traditional definitions and operationalizations of ACEs and mental health. Studies that examine mechanisms underlying the association between ACEs and positive mental health are also encouraged.
The World Health Organization has defined mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in.” Such a definition recognizes mental health as a continuum that encompasses both the absence and the presence of mental health. While a significant number of studies have examined the impact of ACEs on mental illness, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact of ACEs on positive mental health. Studies that focus on various indicators of positive mental health will expand the scope of ACEs research in mental health, following WHO’s comprehensive definition of mental health. Additionally, such studies will inform policies and practices that focus on the prevention and promotion of positive mental health beyond reactive and remedial strategies to address the issues related to ACE exposure.
Dr. Deborah Moon
Prof. Dr. Michelle Johnson-Motoyama
Dr. Gia Barboza-Salerno
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Youth is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- adverse childhood experiences
- mental health
- mental illness
- youth
- adolescents
- emerging adults
- transition age youth
- positive mental health
- flourishing
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