Citation

Ertanir B, Cobb CL, Unger JB, Celada-Dalton T, West AE, Zeledon I, Perazzo PA, Cano M, Des Rosiers SE, Duque MC, Ozer S, Cruz N, Scaramutti C, Vos SR, Salas-Wright CP, Maldonado-Molina MM, Nehme L, Martinez CR, Zayas LH, Schwartz SJ. Res. Child Adolesc. Psychopathol. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10802-022-01016-x

PMID

36626084

Abstract

The present article proposes an extension of the concept of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to apply to crisis migration - where youth and families are fleeing armed conflicts, natural disasters, community violence, government repression, and other large-scale emergencies. We propose that adverse events occurring prior to, during, and following migration can be classified as crisis-migration-related ACEs, and that the developmental logic underlying ACEs can be extended to the new class of crisis-migration-related ACEs. Specifically, greater numbers, severity, and chronicity of crisis-migration-related ACEs would be expected to predict greater impairments in mental and physical health, poorer interpersonal relationships, and less job stability later on. We propose a research agenda centered around definitional clarity, rigorous measurement development, prospective longitudinal studies to establish predictive validity, and collaborations among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Language: en

Keywords

Trauma; Immigration; Adverse childhood events; Crisis migration