Adverse Childhood Experiences and Parental Incarceration Among African American Children in the United States

Abstract Parental incarceration is one of the major intersecting adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that disproportionately affects the lives of vulnerable African American children living in limited resource settings in the United States (U.S). This study examines the prevalence and association between ACEs and parental incarceration among African American children in the U.S. This study was the cross-sectional survey that utilized data from the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health ( N = 3,710; 51.6% male; mean age = 8.6 years old). Prevalence rates were estimated using χ 2 tests (cross-tabulations), and two logistic regression models involving unadjusted and adjusted were used to assess the association between ACEs and parental incarceration among African American children. Approximately 9.7% of African American children had atleast one of their parents incarcerated at some point in their lives. Particularly, African American children who experienced specific types of ACEs, including parental divorce/separation (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.41–3.97), death of at least one of the parents (aOR = 1.98, 95%CI = 0.99–3.97), were exposed to violence in their neighborhoods (OR = 4.94, 95% CI = 2.87–8.48), and lived with a family member in households with alcohol or drug use problem (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.09–1.93) were associated with higher odds of parental incarceration. However, children who experienced at least one ACE (aOR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.05–0.14) and two or more ACEs (aOR = 0.22, 95% CI = 1.09–1.93) were associated with lower odds of parental incarceration. Therefore, there is a dire need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions and continuous policy reform efforts to systematically address the broader structural, familial and racial disparities contributing to increased risk of parental incarcerationand other forms of adversities affecting vulnerable African American children in limited resource settings in the U.S. Implications for practice and policy are further discussed.