Childhood Adversity and Resilience Lab

Exposure to childhood adversities and trauma, such as abuse and neglect, parental mental illness, parental substance abuse, and domestic violence exposure, especially in the absence of protective factors, can lead to toxic stress that in turn negatively impacts short and long-term physical, emotional and developmental health. Protective factors, including having a responsive nurturing parent, safe neighborhoods, good quality schools and normalizing activities, promote child resilience. Most children who are affected by childhood adversities and trauma also live in communities with the poorest schools and fewest resources. Pediatricians in the Division of General Pediatrics collaborate with colleagues in mental health and nursing to conduct research and interventions to ameliorate the negative outcomes associated with childhood adversity and trauma.