Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as traumatic events such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that occur under the age of 18 and can cause poor outcomes in their personal choices and health behaviors. In the Philippines, there are only a few studies that discuss ACEs, particularly the relationship between ACEs and academic achievement. Thus, this study focused on determining the relationship between ACEs and the academic achievement of senior nursing students in Cavite State University. This study utilized a descriptive correlational approach and used time-location sampling to determine respondents. An adopted pre-survey questionnaire was administered to screen eligible participants to answer the adapted survey questionnaire on ACEs and academic achievement. A total of 28 responses met the set criteria, and based on the findings, 92.9% reported experiencing emotional abuse in the form of frequent swearing, insults, putdowns, humiliations, and fears of physical harm. Research revealed that despite these experiences, the majority of nursing students with ACEs are performing well in their academic achievement, both in terms of their Grade Point Average and their behavioral attributes of personal effectiveness, communication, working with others, and leadership. Moreover, the correlation between ACEs and the academic achievement of the respondents revealed a weak negative correlation. However, only communication and leadership attributes showed a statistically significant relationship, though weak, between ACEs and the academic achievement among senior Bachelor of Science in Nursing students in Cavite State University - Main Campus, Indang. Cavite. Acknowledging the prevalence of ACEs among students necessitates educating faculty and staff about their widespread presence among students and their potential impact on mental health, academic performance, and well-being, creating a trauma-informed environment.
