Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have demonstrated a strong association with negative mental health and social outcomes. While a substantial body of research has explored ACEs in community and clinical populations, the attention given to the institutionalized population has been confined to specific adversities. The evidence specifically synthesizing the broader range of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their associated mental health and social outcomes in institutions remains sparse in this population. The current article aims to map and synthesize the prevalence and types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), as well as their associations with mental health and social outcomes among institutionalized populations, and to identify key gaps in the existing literature that warrant further investigation. This scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Five databases – Proquest, Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed empirical studies.
A total of 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies focusing on Children and Adolescents living in the institutional care setting are included. It has been found that Childhood adversities were highly prevalent and strongly associated with a range of internalizing and externalizing problems, issues in peer relationships, and reduced quality of life. The critical issues that emerged in the study include inconsistent definitions of ACEs and a lack of standardized tools, as well as methodological weaknesses such as reliance on cross-sectional designs and underrepresentation of diverse subgroups. Therefore, there is an imperative need for longitudinal, culturally grounded research using standardized and culturally appropriate tools to better understand and intervene in alleviating the effects of childhood adversities.