Description

The Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) measure is a 10-item checklist designed to assess the presence of positive and supportive experiences in early life among individuals exposed to adversity. Each item is answered with a Yes/No response, reflecting whether the participant experienced specific protective factors during childhood, such as having at least one safe caregiver, enjoyable school experiences, or opportunities for fun. The measure aims to capture resilience-promoting experiences that may buffer the effects of early adversity. A total score is calculated by summing all “Yes” responses, with possible scores ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate a greater number of protective childhood experiences.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Southwest communities

Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used

Children and youth

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  • Items were reframed from a question format (“Did you?”) to a statement format (“I had”)

Modality and administration

Self-report; this measure is administered using paper and pencil, REDCAP mobile app, or an online REDCap link sent to the participant.

Scoring

The BCEs scale consists of 10 Yes/No items. Each “Yes” response is scored as 1 point, and “No” as 0. The total score is the sum of all positively endorsed items, yielding a cumulative score ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating a greater number of positive childhood experiences.

Psychometric evidence

Narayan et al. (2018). Highlights that the BCEs demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability across the perinatal period, underscoring its consistency in self-reported measures, r=0.80,p<0.01r=0.80,p<0.01 across the perinatal period. Moreover, the BCEs showed descriptive validity, being multiculturally appropriate and predicting trauma-related outcomes, such as lower prenatal PTSD symptoms and fewer stressful life events, while maintaining relative independence from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Does not specifically mention Cronbach’s alpha or other measures of internal reliability.

Citation(s)

  • Narayan, A. J., Rivera, L. M., Bernstein, R. E., Harris, W. W., & Lieberman, A. F. (2018). Positive Childhood Experiences Predict Less Psychopathology and Stress in Pregnant Women with Childhood Adversity: A Pilot Study of the Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) Scale. Child Abuse and Neglect, 78, 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.09.022
  • Herman KA, Hautala DS, Aulandez KMW, Walls ML. (2024).The resounding influence of benevolent childhood experiences. Transcult Psychiatry. 2024 Jun;61(3):339-350. doi: 10.1177/13634615231192006. . PMID: 38419503; PMCID: PMC12989218.
  • Gillson S, Hautala D, Steinberg R, Walls M. (2026). The ongoing legacy of Indigenous family separation: Long-term outcomes of child welfare involvement among American Indian and First Nations youth. Child Abuse Negl. 2026 Mar;173:107884. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2026.107884. Epub 2026 Jan 12. PMID: 41529334.