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From Home to Hallways: How Adverse Childhood Experiences and School Context Shape Student Relationship Development
Dana M Sox1, Katherine Ross2, Nancy L Deutsch1
1School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
The Journal of School Health
|May 3, 2026
Summary
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) weaken student relationships, but strong teacher connections and school support can buffer these negative effects. This highlights the crucial role of schools in fostering resilience.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- Schools play a vital role in student mental health.
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) significantly impact students' relationships.
- Research is needed to identify protective factors within schools against ACEs' effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between ACEs and developmental relationships in high school students.
- To investigate the moderating role of school engagement and teacher relationships as protective factors.
Main Methods:
- Survey data from 2902 rural high school students.
- Analysis of ACEs scores and various developmental relationships (parenting adults, teachers, peers, neighbors, program leaders).
- Examination of school-level engagement and support, and teacher relationships as potential moderators.
Main Results:
- Higher ACEs scores correlated with weaker developmental relationships across all assessed groups.
- Positive teacher relationships and supportive school engagement partially mitigated the negative impact of ACEs on relationships with parenting adults.
Conclusions:
- Strong teacher relationships and supportive school environments are key to buffering adversity.
- These school-based factors support the development of healthy relationships in young people.
- Implications for school policy include supporting educators and providing trauma-informed training.
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