Adverse childhood experiences and personal values in adolescence: a cross-sectional study using community adult samples in Japan.

Abstract

No study has examined whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were related to value priorities and commitment to values during adolescence. We investigated the association between ACEs by age 15 and personal values during adolescence using cross-sectional data of community adult samples in Japan. We conducted a cross sectional study of the panel study with retrospective assessments. We measured whether the participants experienced childhood victimization of physical abuse, neglect, or parental divorce by the age of 15 years old. We also assessed personal value priorities and commitment to values of the participants during adolescence. Analysis of covariance was conducted to compare mean scores of personal priorities and commitment to values between participants with ACEs and those without ACEs. A total of 2,463 participants were included in analysis. The participants reported ACEs by age 15 years old of 5.1% for physical abuse, 1.8% for neglect, and 2.2% for parental divorce. Having any of the ACEs was significantly associated with lower perceived importance in personal values of avoiding causing trouble (p < .0001), and of cherishing family and friends (p < .0001). There was no significant association between ACEs and commitment to values. The study suggested that ACEs by age 15 years were associated with lower perceived importance in value priorities on avoiding causing trouble and cherishing people in close relationship.