Understanding mechanisms and mental health impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences to co-design preventive arts and digital interventions, extension study

Three in four teenagers who experience multiple traumatic events in childhood will develop serious mental health disorders by young adulthood. This study, called ATTUNE, uses creative arts workshops and direct input from young people with lived experience to understand why some adolescents become vulnerable to mental health problems after adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) while others remain resilient. The problem is urgent: affected young people often cannot find or engage with existing mental health services, and researchers do not fully understand the mechanisms that link childhood trauma to later distress. Without this knowledge, prevention and support efforts remain guesswork. If successful, ATTUNE will produce two concrete tools co-designed with young people: a public health resource to raise awareness of ACEs, and a serious game that helps affected adolescents recognise and manage their mental health. These will be implemented and evaluated in real-world settings. The research will also generate new understanding of risk, resilience, and recovery pathways, informing future policy and practice in child mental health. The impact is direct—better tools for young people who currently fall through gaps in care.