(PS5-89) Mechanisms of Resilience: Examining Mediators of the Impact of Benevolent Childhood Experiences on Young Adult Outcomes in Longitudinal, Nationally Representative Data

Positive and negative experiences in childhood shape developmental trajectories and outcomes well into adulthood. Extant research documents extensive negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., child maltreatment, exposure to violence) on adult physical and mental health (Petruccelli et al., 2019), as well as helpful effects of positive childhood experiences on wellbeing and resiliency, even in the face of adversity and trauma (Han et al., 2023). Positive or ‘benevolent’ childhood experiences (BCEs) include experiences in the home, school, peer groups, and community such as having an adult in your life who cares about your schooling, having at least one good friend, having a caring teacher, having routines at home, and access to opportunities to have fun (Narayan et al., 2023). The most well-established measure of BCEs, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale, assesses the presence or absence of twenty positive inputs during childhood (Narayan et al., 2023). Because this is a newer area of study, there is a paucity of longitudinal data to examine effects prospectively and explore factors that may mediate the relation between BCEs and later outcomes. The purpose of the current study is to: (1) establish a method for measuring BCEs in an existing, longitudinal, nationally representative dataset; (2) test the impact of BCEs on outcomes in young adulthood in longitudinal data; and (3) examine psychosocial mediators of this association. The current study represents secondary analysis of data from the National Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Add Health includes multiple waves of data from approximately 15,000 participants who completed surveys when they were 11-17 years old (Wave I), 12-18 years old (Wave II), 18-26 years old (Wave III), and 24-32 years old (Wave IV). We identified items in Wave I of the Add Health dataset that reflected items from the Revised BCE Scale (Narayan et al., 2023). These items were dummy coded to represent either the absence (0) or presence (1) of each of the BCEs. When we had to use judgement in determining cut-points to dichotomize items, we worked to closely match rates of BCEs reported in prior studies. Add Health BCE indicators were summed to form a cumulative index. Second, we examined the content validity of the scale by testing whether the Add Health BCE Scale was associated with higher friendship quality and self-esteem in adolescence (Wave I), as well as predictive validity for better mental health, physical health, and employment in young adulthood (Wave III). Finally, we plan to examine the following possible mediators (measured at Wave II) of the association between BCEs (Wave I) and young adulthood outcomes (measured at Wave III): self-esteem, optimistic life expectations, and feeling cared for. Understanding pathways by which BCEs promote positive outcomes across developmental periods is critical for informing intervention. Cognitive behavioral interventions can use this information to help youth gain access to more BCEs to bolster positive outcomes and resiliency even in the face of adversity. This work highlights the need for psychologists to not only work to prevent and heal trauma, but also bolster access to BCEs, to best support children’s development and resiliency.