Research published in the past five years has documented the surprising finding that kids who experience what researchers call “Positive Childhood Experiences” (PCEs) or “Positive and Compensatory Childhood Experiences” (PACEs) are far less impacted by adversity in their lives (including ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences). And, most surprising of all, PACEs do more than buffer adversity. Having PACEs also contributes to healthy development, resiliency, physical health, and mental health in adulthood, despite adversity.

“The research suggests that having PACEs is strongly linked to adult mental and physical health and is especially protective against adversity in childhood.”

— UCLA Health

As a result, PACEs research is shifting recommendations about how to help children and youth thrive away from a focus on deficits to a cumulative strengths-based, buffer model. It is propelling a dramatic change to a focus on thoroughly assessing and recognizing the power of strengths and fostering them in the lives of young people as much as possible.

PACEs are safe, stable, and nurturing relationships (in or outside families), environmental situations, and supports that occur before age 18. Many of these supports are outside the home, meaning the impact of a negative home life can be mitigated by PACEs.

“The more PACEs a child has, the more likely they are to be healthy and resilient,” according to “Positive Childhood Experiences: How to reduce the impact of stress for children” from the American SPCC. But even a handful can make a significant difference, researchers have found.

Examples of Positive Childhood Experiences

Different researchers use slightly different lists of PACEs. Here is one of them.