Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences and Antisocial/Criminal Behavior in Adulthood: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction, have been widely associated with negative outcomes across the life course, such as psychopathology, emotional dysregulation, aggressive behavior, and involvement in antisocial and criminal behaviors in adulthood (Felitti et al., 1998; Godfrey et al., 2020; Martins et al., 2025). In recent decades, research has increasingly highlighted the role of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), conceptualized as experiences of support, safety, affection, and developmental opportunities that promote healthy adjustment and resilience (Almeida et al., 2021; Grych et al., 2015; Kocatürk & Çiçek, 2023). PCEs have been associated with greater well-being, better emotional regulation, and lower levels of psychopathological symptoms in adulthood (Cunha et al., 2024; Gause et al., 2022; Han et al., 2023). Contemporary literature in developmental psychopathology and resilience emphasizes the dynamic integration of risk factors, such as ACEs, and protective factors, such as PCEs, suggesting that PCEs may buffer the negative impact of ACEs across multiple domains of functioning (Cicchetti & Toth, 2009; Grych et al., 2015). However, despite growing interest in PCEs, existing systematic reviews report inconsistent findings regarding their protective role, and few reviews specifically address their influence on the pathway linking ACEs to antisocial/criminal behavior in adulthood (Cunha et al., 2024; Han et al., 2023; Sousa et al., 2025). The doctoral project in which this review is embedded aims to examine the relationship between childhood experiences (adverse and positive), personality traits, and criminal involvement in adulthood, both in community samples and forensic populations. This systematic review with meta-analysis constitutes Phase 1 of the project, aiming to map existing knowledge, identify research gaps, and provide a theoretical foundation for subsequent empirical studies.