Late Adolescents’ Adverse and Benevolent Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes: A Cluster Analysis

ABSTRACT Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to poorer mental health, but benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) may buffer these effects; their co‐occurrence in late adolescence is understudied. This study examined which subgroups emerge from ACE–BCE profiles, and how they differ in psychological wellbeing and distress. Two‐step cluster analysis identified four profiles ( N = 200; ages 18–19 years, M = 18.65): High ACE–Low BCE ( n = 38, 19.0%), High ACE–High BCE ( n = 41, 20.5%), Low ACE–Low BCE ( n = 38, 19.0%), and Low ACE–High BCE ( n = 83, 41.5%). One‐way ANOVAs with Tukey post hoc tests showed significant wellbeing and distress differences. Higher BCEs were associated with greater wellbeing regardless of ACEs; High ACE–High BCE adolescents reported less distress than High ACE–Low BCE, who fared worst. Findings support ACEs and BCEs as distinct, co‐occurring dimensions, not opposite ends of one continuum; counselors should consider both.