There is a growing body of research around how to build resilience to mitigate the harm caused by adverse childhood experiences. For example, protective childhood experiences – having friends, experiencing unconditional love, being part of a community – can have just as much cumulative impact over time as adverse ones. One study (Bethell, 2019) shows that the odds of depression or poor mental health can be up to 72% lower among adults who report many protective childhood experiences versus those who reported few.
According to another (Bartlett and Steber, 2019), the overall “strongest protective factor linked with resilience to childhood trauma is the reliable presence of a sensitive, nurturing, and responsive adult.” What is most important is the availability of at least one stable, caring, and supportive relationship between a child and an important adult in his or her life, be it a parent or relative or teacher.