How the Internet Facilitates Adverse Childhood Experiences for Youth Who Self-Identify as in Need of Services

TL;DR

This study examines how the internet both provides support and facilitates risks for vulnerable youth with adverse childhood experiences, highlighting the need for tailored online interventions to promote safety and resilience.

Contribution

It offers a detailed analysis of online posts from at-risk youth to identify how internet use relates to their adverse experiences and risks, informing targeted support strategies.

Findings

Internet use often facilitates risky behaviors among CHINS

Desperation for social connection leads to unsafe online interactions

Family and others perpetrate cyberabuse and illegal activities online

Abstract

Youth implicated in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, as well as those with an incarcerated parent, are considered the most vulnerable Children in Need of Services (CHINS). We identified 1,160 of these at-risk youth (ages 13-17) who sought support via an online peer support platform to understand their adverse childhood experiences and explore how the internet played a role in providing an outlet for support, as well as potentially facilitating risks. We first analyzed posts from 1,160 youth who self-identified as CHINS while sharing about their adverse experiences. Then, we retrieved all 239,929 posts by these users to identify salient topics within their support-seeking posts: 1) Urges to self-harm due to social drama, 2) desire for social connection, 3) struggles with family, and 4) substance use and sexual risks. We found that the internet often helped facilitate these problems; for example, the desperation for social connection often led to meeting unsafe people online, causing additional trauma. Family members and other unsafe people used the internet to perpetrate cyberabuse, while CHINS themselves leveraged online channels to engage in illegal and risky behavior. Our study calls for tailored support systems that address the unique needs of CHINS to promote safe online spaces and foster resilience to break the cycle of adversity. Empowering CHINS requires amplifying their voices and acknowledging the challenges they face as a result of their adverse childhood experiences.