Examining the Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Health Risk Behaviours, and Psychological Well-Being in a Convenience Sample of Lithuanian University Students.

Luciana C. Assini-Meytin,Ksenija Čunichina,Ilona Laurinaitytė

doi:10.3390/ijerph19063253

Abstract

This study examines the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), health risk behaviours, and psychological well-being among Lithuanian university students. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with a convenience sample of 393 students (80.7% females and 19.3% males) recruited from mostly undergraduate courses (96.4%) in Lithuanian universities. Participants, aged 18–25 years (21.07 ± 1.53), completed a web-based survey in which they were asked to retrospectively self-report on ACEs while answering questions on health risk behaviours (e.g., smoking, substance use, riding a car with a drunk driver) and psychological well-being. Only 8.7% of the study sample experienced no ACEs, and almost half of the sample (48.9%) experienced ≥4 ACEs. Findings from adjusted models showed that, compared with students with no ACEs, those who experienced ≥4 ACEs had higher odds of lifetime illicit drug use (AOR = 2.73, p < 0.05), riding with a drunk driver (AOR = 2.44, p < 0.05), suicidal ideation before age 18 (AOR = 28.49, p < 0.01) and in the past 12 months (AOR = 5.39, p < 0.01). An increased number of ACEs was also associated with lower psychological well-being (B = −3.94, p < 0.001). Findings from this study have implications for mental health professionals as well as university administrators, as students with a higher number of traumatic experiences may require greater levels of support and services.

Highlights

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as different types of abuse, parental substance misuse, or parental imprisonment, is a significant public health problem [1–3]
After controlling for demographic characteristics, results from logistic regression models for adverse childhood experience exposure and health risk behaviours show that students in the group with the highest cumulative number of ACEs had higher odds of lifetime illicit drug use, riding with a drunk driver during their lifetime, suicidal ideation before the age of 18, and suicidal ideation in last 12 months
Our findings revealed a high proportion of any ACE exposure among our study sample (91.3%) and of polyvictimisation

Summary

Introduction

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as different types of abuse, parental substance misuse, or parental imprisonment, is a significant public health problem [1–3]. Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative impact of ACEs on mental and physical health outcomes and well-being throughout life [4–7]. An increased number of reported ACEs has been associated with more serious negative health outcomes and multiple health risk behaviours, including substance abuse, chronic conditions, psychiatric disorders, and attempted suicide [8–12]. Figueiredo-Braga et al [13] noted that people exposed to ACEs seem to be more prone to adjustment difficulties when facing the extreme stress and health-related risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of ACEs worldwide is unknown [15]. The number of ACEs may vary within the same world region, for example, in Europe

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion