Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Exclusionary Discipline Practices in Middle Childhood

초록

Objective: Although research has identified that students of color and students from low-income families disproportionately experience exclusionary discipline practices, little is known about whether early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence school suspension/expulsion among these students (age: 9 years). To address the gap, we examine whether specific patterns of ACEs confer greater risk for suspension and expulsion. Method: Using data (N=2,516 parents) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we conducted a latent class analysis to identify distinct classes. Results: School suspension/expulsion was predicted by the latent class membership. We identified four ACE subgroups: (a) parental challenges and neglect, (b) child maltreatment and community violence, (c) poverty only, and (d) low community violence. The parental challenges and neglect, child maltreatment and community violence, and poverty only classes had a higher risk of suspension/expulsion; the parental challenges and neglect class had the greatest risk. African American children and boys were at an elevated risk of suspension/expulsion. Conclusions: It is critical that families receive interventions designed to mitigate parental challenges and for educators to seek alternative approaches to exclusionary discipline.

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