Abstract: Submission #148

Abstract The role of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in early development has consistently been proved to lead to specific deviant behavior, criminal justice involvement and crime. Conversely, very little research attention has been focused on the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences and altruistic behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences on deviant and altruistic behavior found in emerging adulthood. The sample population consisted of 413 young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 from the Western Cape, South Africa. Data was collected making use of the following self-report questionnaires: The Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire, the Deviant Behavior Scale, and the Altruistic Scale. Pearson correlations found that experiencing childhood physical neglect and exposure to domestic violence were the two strongest correlations with deviant behaviors. Furthermore, Chi square tests for association revealed significant associations between childhood adversity and altruistic attitudes. Early detection and intervention of Adverse Childhood Experiences could potentially reduce criminal justice involvement and increase altruistic attitudes during emerging adulthood.