Adverse Childhood Experiences and Academic Performance among U.S. Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with disparate health and educational outcomes. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the relationship between ACEs and academic performance among U.S. children and adolescents. A total of 20 articles were included for a descriptive synthesis and 11 articles were included in the quantitative synthesis. Among the 11 studies, we found a weak, negative correlation between ACEs and academic performance. Further research is needed to explore all the potential adverse exposures that could impact academic outcomes and factors that might mediate the effects of ACEs on academic performance.