Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Resilience and School Success in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Authors: Ngozi J Adaralegbe, University of Connecticut; Okelue E Okobi, Arizona State University; Zainab TO Omar, Dubai Medical College for Girls; Esther Segun, Seneca College, Toronto; Endurance O Evbayekha, St. Luke's Hospital, St. Louis; Adesewa Abolurin, University of Lagos, Nigeria; Emmanuel O Egberuare, Southern Alberta Institute of Urology; Henrietta C Ezegbe, Simon Fraser University; Adeoluwa Adegbosin, Kharkiv National University; Adebola G Adedeji, Olabisi Onabanjo University; Ebikiye G Angaye, Diete-Koki Memorial Hospital; Ijeoma C Izundu, Markham Stouffville Hospital; Babatunde O Oyelade, Emory University
• Journal Title: Cureus
• Volume: Volume 14, Number 11
• Publisher: Cureus, Inc. | 2022-11-26
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.31907
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Psychology, Behavioral
• Keywords: resilience; autism spectrum disorder and emotion; adverse childhood experience; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd); autism spectrum disorder (asd)

Abstract

Adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders face known academic challenges and poor life outcomes. It was imperative to explore and find if the new diagnostic criterion for diagnosing autism profoundly affects educational outcomes and resilience in individuals diagnosed with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The literature is robust on the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on educational outcomes and resilience in adolescents with no history of disability. Still, there remains a dearth of literature explaining, with no ambiguity, the complex relationships between ACEs and resilience, school engagement, and success in individuals with co-occurring ASD and ADHD. This study reviews the existing scholarships on the topic. The significance of this review is that it informs healthcare providers, rehabilitation counselors, and educators about the need for early identification of individuals with ASD and ADHD with a background in ACEs. This will enable interventions early enough to ensure they are more resilient and can obtain improved success in school-related and outside-school activities and eventually improved quality of life.