Letting stories breathe: Identifying adverse and benevolent childhood experiences in the stories of Military-Connected Children and Young People

This study explores the narrated lived experiences of Military-Connected Children and Young People (MCCYP) in Denmark and examines the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs), particularly in the context of parental combat-related PTSD within their told stories. Using content analysis, interview data was re-analysed using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) questionnaires to identify ACEs and BCEs within the captured narrative data. The initial study where the data was captured examined military children's experiences and the impact of a five-day residential camp on well-being, resilience, and self-esteem, based on co-constructed meaning between participants and researchers, with ethical approval ensuring parental consent and participant assent. Ten young people (aged 12-19, mean = 15.00, SD = 2.54) attended the Denmark-based camp run by Støt Soldater & Pårørende (SSOP), a charity supporting children of veterans. Six were female, four males, and all had at least one parent with a self-reported PTSD diagnosis. The findings show that most participants (nine out of ten) had a parent with PTSD, leading to an average ACE score of 2.7. These challenges included physical or emotional abuse, living with a parents who has poor mental health, witnessing domestic violence and having a parent abuse substances. Despite these challenges, all participants reported key protective factors, contributing to an average BCEs score of 4. The protective factors included feeling safe with a caregiver, having external support, and experiencing home stability. The study discusses the implications for clinical practice, proposing the ICE (Identify, Connect, Engage) model for Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), which focuses on early identification of adversities, building trust through compassionate connection, and involving MCCYP in decision-making. The study underscores the importance of letting stories breathe to considering both the adversities and resilience factors in MCCYP narratives, advocating for a holistic, child-centred approach to supporting their health and well-being.