The Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Internalizing Versus Externalizing Outcomes

Understanding the impact of youth's adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on externalizing and internalizing outcomes has important implications for prevention and intervention programs. This study investigated whether specific ACEs are predictive of internalizing outcomes (e.g., anxiety) or externalizing outcomes (e.g., runaway behavior). The findings indicate that many ACEs increase the risk of negative youth outcomes.