By their eighth birthday, an estimated nine in ten New Zealand children will have experienced a form of serious adversity. They might have been neglected, grown up with family violence, lived through a separation, experienced bullying or coped with a parent’s mental illness or substance use problem. These experiences are relevant to education as they can have important and lasting consequences for academic achievement. When a child faces more adversity, it weighs heavily on how they fare at school. School engagement has a significant impact on students’ academic success underscoring the need for a thorough examination of the risk factors contributing to student disengagement within educational environments. The research has been less clear about why that link exists.

A recent study led by Maryam Ghasemi at the University of Auckland, with VISION Senior Research Fellow Ladan Hashemi (City St George’s UoL) and others, examines the longitudinal association between a relatively broad Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) index within Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) measured up to age 8, and low school engagement at age 12.

The team also explores the potential mediating role of children’s self-esteem and scholastic self-concept in this relationship. Using data from an ethnically diverse longitudinal birth cohort of 3858 children in New Zealand, they investigated how early exposure to adversity influences school engagement at age 12.

The research demonstrates that exposure to a greater number of adversities by age 8 is associated with lower levels of school engagement at age 12, even after adjusting for gender and area deprivation level. This effect occurs by undermining children’s self-esteem and scholastic self-concept, which highlights how early adversity can shape educational trajectories through internalized negative self-perceptions.

The findings highlight the importance of preventing ACEs, early identification of at-risk children, and prioritizing trauma-informed, equitable, and culturally sensitive interventions to improve school engagement. Children who stay engaged at school are more likely to do well later in life. Those who disengage face a greater risk of lower academic achievement, poorer mental health and leaving school early. To keep children connected to their school, supportive teachers, positive friendships, opportunities to succeed and extracurricular activities can all make a meaningful difference. So can giving students more say in their learning and recognising their achievements. Ultimately, schools cannot undo the adversity a child has faced at home. But they can still do much to help children believe in themselves, thrive in the classroom and reach their potential.

To download the peer-reviewed article: Understanding the Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and School Engagement: Investigating the Role of Child Self-concept as a Mediator