Fostering Resilience: How to Protect Against the Psychological Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Fostering Resilience: How to Protect Against the Psychological Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences
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Issue Date
2025-10
Authors
Manson, Nicole
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Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) comprise an array of traumatic events that children and youth may encounter, such as abuse, neglect, financial strain, household substance use, parental mental health disorders, and exposure to violence. With a high prevalence of Canada’s population identifying exposure to at least one ACE, there is a pressing need to identify resilience mechanisms to overcome the detrimental effects of such experiences. This literature review isolates the most effective and consistent resilience-building mechanisms across individuals. The capstone project is guided by the following research question: What mechanisms explain how resilience protects against the psychological effects of ACEs, and how these mechanisms can be intentionally cultivated in counselling contexts? Relevant literature was critically analyzed and thematically coded to uncover findings about the research question. The most significant findings reveal that resilience mechanisms encompass three primary levels: individual, social/relationship, and community; however, the effectiveness of each may depend on cultural identity and values. This indicates that an integrative and multi-level approach explains how resilience protects against psychological effects of ACEs. This capstone addresses recommendations for clinical practice, such as adapting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to guide Canadian counsellors working directly with this population. Furthermore, this capstone discusses recommendations for future research to identify ways to refine the limitations presented within this research project.
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Keywords
adverse childhood experiences , resilience , psychological outcomes , coping mechanisms , social support , community support
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess