Adolescence is an uphill struggle. Research abundantly displays that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have a distinct and detrimental effect on adolescents and their development. Recent research has explored the perspectives, thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs of helping professionals who integrate spirituality into their work with adolescents. The purpose of this qualitative study is to develop a thematic analysis of helping professionals’ narratives of care with this population. The narratives of helping professionals’ care of adolescent males with ACEs points to the desire to connect with spiritual community and to make meaning. Helping professionals’ narratives also highlight the constraints of locating spirituality. Theological reflection on parrhesia focuses on developing open, unencumbered discussion as an ethical, professional, and spiritually-sensitive form of integration. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

School-age children are at high risk of experiencing traumatic and stressful events that can negatively impact their academic, emotional, and behavior performance (Brock et al., 2016). Any stressful situation (i.e., natural disaster) or adverse childhood experience (ACE) can potentially become a traumatic event for a child or adolescent. The current literature indicates that 60% of children experience at least one ACE, putting them at high risk for a variety of health and social problems (Manyema et al., 2018). Natural disasters adversely impact children's life as they have the potential to destroy physical structures and injure the child or family members. According to Inoue and colleagues (2018) natural disasters can additionally be considered as an ACE. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between PTSD symptoms of students who have experienced a natural disaster (e.g., hurricane exposure) and students’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Participants included 75 students from elementary, middle, and high school in a school district in the Southeastern United States. Linear regression showed that PTSD symptoms are significantly correlated with internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, moderation and interaction effects showed that he type of hurricane exposure did not significantly moderate the relationship between PTSD symptoms and students' internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Implications from these results suggest that trauma-informed strategies are needed for students that are exposed to a traumatic event.

Adult depression is a common consequence of adverse childhood experience. There is also a higher likelihood of being affected by economic burdens after having expierienced a traumatic event in childhood. As depression has been associated with economic burden, these long-term sequelae of childhood adversity are likely to interact. We investigated depression and economic consequences, such as unemployment, lower level of education, lower income as long term sequelae of adverse childhood experiences in adulthood and their interaction. Childhood Maltreatment was measured by the German version of the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. Depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Logistic regressions were applied to investigate the risks of suffering economic burdens, with depression as a moderator. Depressive symptoms increased with the number of ACEs and were highest in those reporting four or more ACEs, especially amongst those who experienced sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Moderation analysis showed a significant effect of depression incresing almost all economic burdens. Migration background additionally increased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job. Female gender decreased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job, but increased the risk of low income and part-time employment. The moderation effect of depression increased the negative impact of exposure to multiple ACEs on economic life in adulthood. Prevention of ACEs and early intervention are needed to prevent the mental health and economic consequences.