Children’s Mental Health: Living With Parents Who Had Adverse Childhood Experiences

In 2021, 42.8 percent of US children ages 5-17 lived with an adult who had at least four adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We found differences in exposure by race and ethnicity, income, and public versus private insurance status. Childhood exposure to adult ACEs was negatively correlated with child mental health, particularly among children in low-income and publicly insured families.