Past Suffering and Current Caring
A Comprehensive Picture of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Social Work Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/27237Keywords:
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Social Work Education, Wounded HealerAbstract
This article aims to provide a comprehensive picture of research on the prevalence and impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among social work students. In doing so, we highlight where ACE research with social work students is most robust and point out gaps that need further inquiry. This article is organized into four parts, each summarizing pertinent ACE research for that section, limitations, and next steps for further inquiry. Part 1 offers an overview of the operational definitions of ACEs within the context of general population studies. Part 2 reviews foundational studies of childhood adversity with social work students that explored prevalence and influences on career choice. Part 3 provides a composite profile of current ACE prevalence studies with social work students and compares them to non-majors to describe differing trends and patterns. Part 4 presents empirical research on the impact of ACEs on social work students’ well-being and professional development. Implications for social work educators are included.
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