SynthesisChild abuse & neglect2023
A systematic review of positive childhood experiences and adult outcomes: Promotive and protective processes for resilience in the context of childhood adversity.
Synthesis in Child abuse & neglect, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 79 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
79 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Impact of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.Child psychiatry and human development · 2026Pooled it
- The Impact of Positive Childhood Experiences: A Systematic Review Focused on Children and Adolescents.Trauma, violence & abuse · 2026Pooled it
- Associations among positive childhood experiences, resilience, and psychological distress in health professions students.Medical education online · 2026Article
- Adolescent mental health in Hong Kong: a longitudinal analysis of positive self-evaluation, contextual influences and adverse experiences (2009-2014).Child and adolescent mental health · 2026Article
- Long-term legacy of parents' secure base script knowledge: Cascading implications for family relationships and children's positive development.Developmental psychology · 2026Article
- Beyond Household Adversities: Synthetic Imputation of Emotional, Physical and Sexual Abuse for Children Aged <18 Years in the National Survey on Children's Health (NSCH) Through Parameter Bridging from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS).Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Risk and protective factors for consistent family routines among caregivers with preschool-age children.Child abuse & neglect · 2026Article
- Positive Childhood Experiences, Suicide Cognitions, Subjective Happiness, and Mental Well-Being in Young Adults: A Half-Longitudinal Serial Mediation Study.The Psychiatric quarterly · 2026Article
- Prevalence of Childhood Adversity and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety, and Psychotic-like Experiences Among Young Indian Adults: A Cross-sectional Study.Indian journal of psychological medicine · 2026Article
- Positive Childhood Experiences and Flourishing Among Young Adults in China: Does Emotion Regulation Explain Associations?Research in nursing & health · 2026Article
- A prospective study of VR-assessed state paranoia and anxiety suggests threat-related developmental pathways in adolescence.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2026Article
- Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents' Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Family and community positive childhood experiences and mental health from childhood to adolescence: Independent and cumulative associations.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2026Article
- The Moderating Role of Social and Emotional Support in the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental Health Across Racial Groups: the Need for Investing in Social Capital.Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities · 2026Article
- Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Among Adolescents, Young Adults, and Adults: Mediating Roles of Positive Childhood Experiences and Resilience.The Psychiatric quarterly · 2026Article
- Positive childhood experiences relate to prenatal mental health symptoms and diagnoses independent of childhood maltreatment.Journal of mood and anxiety disorders · 2026Article
- Daily Parental Positive Experiences Are Linked to Better Daily Parenting Practice Through Reduced Stress and Depressive Mood.Family process · 2026Article
- Psychological flexibility as a mediating mechanism linking adverse and positive childhood experiences to suicidal thoughts in emerging adults.BMC pediatrics · 2026Article
- Early relational health training in Canadian paediatric residency programs: A national program director survey.Paediatrics & child health · 2026Article
- Commentary: An impressive state-of-the-science account and an exciting springboard for new paths: the present and future of research on early conduct problems - a commentary on Hyde et al. (2025).Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines · 2026Article
19 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundResearch on positive childhood experiences (PCEs) as counterparts to childhood adversity has surged in the last five years. A systematic review of the additive and interactive effects of childhood adversity and PCEs across adult outcomes is needed that contextualizes the long-term correlates of childhood experiences within a developmental perspective.
objectiveThe current review synthesizes the empirical evidence for PCEs as resilience factors for a range of adult outcomes.
methodsArticles published until May 2023 were systematically identified according to PRISMA Guidelines through PubMed and PsycINFO databases and references of included articles. Then, 131 records were screened, and 58 studies were included.
resultsHigher levels of PCEs were significantly but modestly associated with lower levels of childhood adversity. Higher levels of PCEs were associated with outcomes reflecting mental health, psychosocial functioning, physical health and health behaviors, and psychosocial stress. Most studies found direct, promotive effects of PCEs for more favorable outcomes. Few studies found significant interaction effects between childhood adversity and PCEs on outcomes, suggesting that PCEs may more frequently directly promote positive outcomes rather than moderate the effects of adversity on outcomes.
conclusionsIndividuals' childhood adversity and PCEs are somewhat independent sets of experiences; many individuals experience both, and the presence of one does not preclude the other. PCEs predict more favorable outcomes independent of childhood adversity more often than they interact with and moderate the effects of adversity on outcomes. Although the literature base is steadily growing, more research on PCEs in diverse and international samples is needed.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.