STUDENT:  Brianna Strein

ADVISOR: Dr. Renae McNair

ABSTRACT:

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have short-term and long-term effects on individuals. Typically, the effects of this neglect, or trauma, are seen through maladaptive behavior. ACEs are measured on a 10-question examination that focuses on trauma one might have experienced. The higher the score, the more likely the individual will have mental health impairments later in life. This study was designed to distinguish the relationship between maladaptive behaviors and serotonin levels in individuals who scored high on the ACEs questionnaire. One hypothesis was formulated based on review of the literature, H1: maladaptive behaviors are influenced by low serotonin levels caused by maltreatment. The literature reviewed articles indicate that maladaptive behaviors are popular coping mechanisms for those with ACEs in general. The sample size of this study is 100 (n= 100). 50 participants are White and Black cisgender female, the other 50 participants are White and Black cisgender male who have known maladaptive behaviors. The age group is adolescents between 10 and 19 years old. Each will be given an ACEs questionnaire to connect scores and behavior. Participants will also be given a blood test by a medical professional to determine serotonin levels, with parental approval. Both results are likely to link to negative behavior. The expected result for this study is a correlation between maladaptive behaviors, low serotonin levels, and high ACE assessment scores. These findings implicate the need for further support and research for those who experienced any type of neglect as a child.

Keywords: Maladaptive behaviors, maltreatment, ACEs, coping, serotonin levels