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“Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences

Flo Avery, Michaela James Orcid Logo, Laura Cowley, Lucy Griffiths Orcid Logo, Mark A. Bellis Orcid Logo, Karen Hughes, Sinead Brophy Orcid Logo

PLOS ONE, Volume: 20, Issue: 4, Start page: e0313371

Swansea University Authors: Flo Avery, Michaela James Orcid Logo, Laura Cowley, Lucy Griffiths Orcid Logo, Sinead Brophy Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1371/journal.pone.0313371

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with negative health and wellbeing outcomes. Ensuring young people receive timely and appropriate support after experiencing ACEs could improve these outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to explore what works to support young people li...

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Published in: PLOS ONE
ISSN: 1932-6203
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69330
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Ensuring young people receive timely and appropriate support after experiencing ACEs could improve these outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to explore what works to support young people living with ACEs; what support do they receive, and what are the characteristics of valuable help? Participants and Setting: Young people living in Wales aged 16&#x2013;18 years (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;559) completed an online survey about their ACEs and the help they did or did not receive with these experiences. Methods: Free text responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Public involvement workshops with young people were utilised to guide the analytic process. Results: Few participants reported accessing enough support. Five themes were developed: &#x201C;Help me by helping my family&#x201D;, &#x201C;Talking to a trusted adult is helpful&#x2026; until it&#x2019;s not&#x201D;, &#x201C;Being informed: &#x2018;I was kept in the loop&#x2019;&#x201D;, &#x201C;Schools and colleges as sites of support&#x201D; and &#x201C;Loneliness and peer support&#x201D;. Conclusions: More support is needed for young people with ACEs. Young people find it helpful when their whole family is supported in times of adversity, not blamed. People who provide support should be empathic and non-judgmental. Young people would rather be spoken to about ACEs and &#x2018;kept in the loop&#x2019; than have them treated as a taboo or sensitive subject. Experiencing ACEs can be lonely in the absence of peer support. Schools and colleges are acceptable sites of support and may be well placed to provide opportunities for peer support.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>PLOS ONE</journal><volume>20</volume><journalNumber>4</journalNumber><paginationStart>e0313371</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Public Library of Science (PLoS)</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic>1932-6203</issnElectronic><keywords/><publishedDay>22</publishedDay><publishedMonth>4</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2025</publishedYear><publishedDate>2025-04-22</publishedDate><doi>10.1371/journal.pone.0313371</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Medical School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>MEDS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal)</apcterm><funders>This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Public Health Wales through their support of a PhD studentship. The Learned Society of Wales also provided support through a grant (38-WS-22).</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2025-05-06T16:09:39.3843914</lastEdited><Created>2025-04-23T11:40:50.0632845</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Flo</firstname><surname>Avery</surname><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Michaela</firstname><surname>James</surname><orcid>0000-0001-7047-0049</orcid><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Laura</firstname><surname>Cowley</surname><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Lucy</firstname><surname>Griffiths</surname><orcid>0000-0001-9230-624X</orcid><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Mark A.</firstname><surname>Bellis</surname><orcid>0000-0001-6980-1963</orcid><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Karen</firstname><surname>Hughes</surname><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Sinead</firstname><surname>Brophy</surname><orcid>0000-0001-7417-2858</orcid><order>7</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>69330__34190__a521336450b0470a9ee7a038a5a3f433.pdf</filename><originalFilename>69330.VOR.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2025-05-06T16:06:08.5089004</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>508100</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>&#xA9; 2025 Avery et al. 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spelling 2025-05-06T16:09:39.3843914 v2 69330 2025-04-23 “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences 2526459703ee2c4da8744dae5789d5ab Flo Avery Flo Avery true false 9a717d184fb8f768e462d95b91e63e23 0000-0001-7047-0049 Michaela James Michaela James true false a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77 Laura Cowley Laura Cowley true false e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93 0000-0001-9230-624X Lucy Griffiths Lucy Griffiths true false 84f5661b35a729f55047f9e793d8798b 0000-0001-7417-2858 Sinead Brophy Sinead Brophy true false 2025-04-23 MEDS Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with negative health and wellbeing outcomes. Ensuring young people receive timely and appropriate support after experiencing ACEs could improve these outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to explore what works to support young people living with ACEs; what support do they receive, and what are the characteristics of valuable help? Participants and Setting: Young people living in Wales aged 16–18 years (n = 559) completed an online survey about their ACEs and the help they did or did not receive with these experiences. Methods: Free text responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Public involvement workshops with young people were utilised to guide the analytic process. Results: Few participants reported accessing enough support. Five themes were developed: “Help me by helping my family”, “Talking to a trusted adult is helpful… until it’s not”, “Being informed: ‘I was kept in the loop’”, “Schools and colleges as sites of support” and “Loneliness and peer support”. Conclusions: More support is needed for young people with ACEs. Young people find it helpful when their whole family is supported in times of adversity, not blamed. People who provide support should be empathic and non-judgmental. Young people would rather be spoken to about ACEs and ‘kept in the loop’ than have them treated as a taboo or sensitive subject. Experiencing ACEs can be lonely in the absence of peer support. Schools and colleges are acceptable sites of support and may be well placed to provide opportunities for peer support. Journal Article PLOS ONE 20 4 e0313371 Public Library of Science (PLoS) 1932-6203 22 4 2025 2025-04-22 10.1371/journal.pone.0313371 COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Public Health Wales through their support of a PhD studentship. The Learned Society of Wales also provided support through a grant (38-WS-22). 2025-05-06T16:09:39.3843914 2025-04-23T11:40:50.0632845 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science Flo Avery 1 Michaela James 0000-0001-7047-0049 2 Laura Cowley 3 Lucy Griffiths 0000-0001-9230-624X 4 Mark A. Bellis 0000-0001-6980-1963 5 Karen Hughes 6 Sinead Brophy 0000-0001-7417-2858 7 69330__34190__a521336450b0470a9ee7a038a5a3f433.pdf 69330.VOR.pdf 2025-05-06T16:06:08.5089004 Output 508100 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 Avery et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
spellingShingle “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
Flo Avery
Michaela James
Laura Cowley
Lucy Griffiths
Sinead Brophy
title_short “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_full “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_fullStr “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_full_unstemmed “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_sort “Support for my dad would have benefited me because I was the one looking after him”: A qualitative analysis of the support needs of young people exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences
author_id_str_mv 2526459703ee2c4da8744dae5789d5ab
9a717d184fb8f768e462d95b91e63e23
a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77
e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93
84f5661b35a729f55047f9e793d8798b
author_id_fullname_str_mv 2526459703ee2c4da8744dae5789d5ab_***_Flo Avery
9a717d184fb8f768e462d95b91e63e23_***_Michaela James
a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77_***_Laura Cowley
e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93_***_Lucy Griffiths
84f5661b35a729f55047f9e793d8798b_***_Sinead Brophy
author Flo Avery
Michaela James
Laura Cowley
Lucy Griffiths
Sinead Brophy
author2 Flo Avery
Michaela James
Laura Cowley
Lucy Griffiths
Mark A. Bellis
Karen Hughes
Sinead Brophy
format Journal article
container_title PLOS ONE
container_volume 20
container_issue 4
container_start_page e0313371
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
issn 1932-6203
doi_str_mv 10.1371/journal.pone.0313371
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with negative health and wellbeing outcomes. Ensuring young people receive timely and appropriate support after experiencing ACEs could improve these outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to explore what works to support young people living with ACEs; what support do they receive, and what are the characteristics of valuable help? Participants and Setting: Young people living in Wales aged 16–18 years (n = 559) completed an online survey about their ACEs and the help they did or did not receive with these experiences. Methods: Free text responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Public involvement workshops with young people were utilised to guide the analytic process. Results: Few participants reported accessing enough support. Five themes were developed: “Help me by helping my family”, “Talking to a trusted adult is helpful… until it’s not”, “Being informed: ‘I was kept in the loop’”, “Schools and colleges as sites of support” and “Loneliness and peer support”. Conclusions: More support is needed for young people with ACEs. Young people find it helpful when their whole family is supported in times of adversity, not blamed. People who provide support should be empathic and non-judgmental. Young people would rather be spoken to about ACEs and ‘kept in the loop’ than have them treated as a taboo or sensitive subject. Experiencing ACEs can be lonely in the absence of peer support. Schools and colleges are acceptable sites of support and may be well placed to provide opportunities for peer support.
published_date 2025-04-22T05:27:53Z
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