Screening of adverse childhood experiences in preschoolers: a systematic review

The present review aims to describe scientific publications available that detail strategies and screening tools for adverse childhood experiences in preschoolers (2 to 5 years of age). A systematic review of the topic was carried out through research articles published in peer-reviewed journals from January 1998 to June 2017 and indexed in seven international databases (Cochrane Library, EBSCO, PubMed, Science Direct, Springer, Web of Science and Scielo). The articles were selected based on predefined criteria, using limiters and manual screening. Twenty articles published between 1999 and 2017 were selected. The screening of adverse childhood experiences is performed through opportunistic recruitment in a professional context aimed at caregivers and children, which integrates training actions, application of screening tools, and reception of identified cases. Screening tools differ between interviews and questionnaires. In addition, we report the periodicity of the screening, the behaviors, and beliefs of the professionals against it and the barriers to its implementation. This review confirms that the screening of adverse childhood experiences is an emerging topic in the research field. We emphasize the need to systematize and evaluate the strategies and tools for screening adverse childhood experiences, as well as to develop local approaches to respond to the needs of children exposed to adversity.