Adverse Childhood Experiences In Adolescents Research Articles

Assessment of adverse childhood experiences in adolescents from a rural agricultural community: Associations with depressive symptoms and psychosocial problems

The main goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Latino adolescents from an agricultural community and to examine how it may impact their neuropsychiatric functioning. This research particularly assessed the association between ACEs and depression, as well as ACEs and psychosocial problems. The study sample consisted of 852 adolescents treated at a rural primary care clinic with a comprehensive ACE screening protocol that assesses for ACEs, depressed mood, and psychosocial functioning during every annual Well-Child Visit. Study results showed that ACEs were relatively common among participants with 64 % endorsing having experienced at least one ACE. Approximately 23 % of participants screened positive for depressed mood and 11 % for psychosocial problems. ACEs were found to have significant associations with both depression symptoms and with psychosocial problems. Males were found to have less depression symptoms than females among subjects with exposure to most ACE types, and older age was associated with lower psychosocial impairment. Study participants live in an agricultural community and are likely exposed to both chemical and non-chemical stressors. The exposure to ACEs and chemical environmental stressors may interact with pathological synergy to alter their biobehavioral development. Further research is needed to understand the “rules” for which stressors at what dose and at what stage of development place youth at greatest risk.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Adolescents With Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Frequency and Clinical Correlates.

Increasing empirical attention has been given to the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the development and maintenance of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Yet, current research has predominantly focused on adult and nonclinical BDD samples, and little is known about relevance of ACEs in adolescent BDD. The present study examined (a) the frequency of ACEs in adolescents with a primary diagnosis of BDD (n = 50) versus obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) (n = 50) and (b) the clinical profile of ACE-exposed youth with BDD. ACEs were ascertained through a systematic search of electronic patient records, as well as through a parent- and self-report screening item for exposure to traumatic events. Results showed higher rate of peer victimisation (74% vs. 38%) and child maltreatment (44% vs. 24%) among BDD versus OCD youths; sexual abuse was the most common type of child maltreatment documented in the BDD group (28%) according to patient records. Parent-reported exposure to traumatic events was also significantly higher in the BDD than the OCD group (40% vs. 18%, respectively). Clinical presentation and treatment outcomes did not differ between those with versus without a history of ACEs. The current study is the first to demonstrate that a range of ACEs are common in adolescent BDD. Our findings highlight the importance of screening for these experiences. Although further research is needed, our findings also indicate that adolescents with BDD who have a history of ACEs are broadly similar in their clinical presentation to those without, and benefit from BDD-focused treatment.

How do Differences in Adolescent and Caregiver Reports of Adolescent Adverse Childhood Experiences Relate to Adolescent Depression?

ObjectiveThis study aims to compare adolescent and caregiver reports of adolescent ACEs and their relationship with current adolescent depression and to analyze the relationship between ACEs and depression. MethodsWe recruited 46 adolescent-caregiver dyads from a large inner city medical center's adolescent medicine clinic. Adolescents and caregivers completed the Center for Youth Wellness ACE questionnaire, encompassing traditional ACEs (e.g., abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) and non-traditional ACEs (e.g., foster care, parental death, exposure to community violence). Adolescents also completed the PHQ-9A depression screening tool. ResultsAmong adolescents, 14 (30%) reported no traditional ACEs, 11 (24%) reported one, and 21 (46%) reported more than one. Regarding non-traditional ACEs, 16 (35%) reported none, 11(24%) reported one, and 19 (41%) reported more than one. Caregiver reports consistently indicated lower ACEs compared to adolescent self-reports (p < .005). For the PHQ-9A scores, 26 (57%) of adolescents showed no or minimal depression, 14 (30%) mild, and six (13%) moderate depression. A moderate positive correlation emerged between PHQ-9A scores and self-reported traditional ACEs (rs=0.5, p<.001) and non-traditional ACEs (rs=0.49, p<.001). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the absolute differences in adolescent and caregiver reports of traditional ACEs and PHQ-9A scores (n=46, ρ=0.51, p<0.001). ConclusionAs the differences in ACE reports between adolescents and caregivers increased, there was a corresponding increase in adolescent depression scores. It is essential to incorporate comprehensive ACE screening and encourage open communication between adolescents and caregivers which may improve mental health outcomes.

Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Adolescents with Special Educational and Care Needs in the Netherlands: A Case-File Study of Three Special Educational and Care Settings

To date, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in adolescents with special educational and care needs have received little attention as an important risk factor for their behavioral, emotional, and learning problems. This study provides insight into ACE prevalence and family risk factors in three Dutch special educational and care settings for vulnerable school-aged youth. 268 adolescents (10–18 years old) with severe and persistent problems at individual and family level, from a special educational setting (setting 1; n = 59), a residential care setting (setting 2; n = 86) and an alternative educational setting (setting 3; n = 123) were included. A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected between 2016 and 2019 through structured case-file analysis. A substantial proportion of the adolescents in all settings experienced at least one ACE, with 69.5% in setting 1, 84.9% in setting 2 and 95.1% in setting 3. Family risk factors were relatively common, among which a limited social network in all settings (20–50%) and debts in setting 2 and 3 (25–40%). The substantial ACE prevalence underlines the need for early ACE awareness. Trauma-informed care and education are needed to adequately understand trauma-related behaviors, prevent retraumatization, and enhance learning and healthy development. Given that ACEs regarding household dysfunction and family risk factors seem to be common in adolescents with special educational and care needs, family centered approaches should be implemented as well in the interest of lifelong health and well-being for both adolescents and their families.

Relationship between child-to-parent violence and cumulative childhood adversity: the mediating role of parental attachment, resilience, and emotional intelligence.

Recent research on aggressor profiles in child-to-parent violence (CPV) seems to provide promising results. However, this phenomenon has been poorly addressed in the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) framework. This study aimed to explore the frequency of different types of ACEs and cumulative ACEs in adolescents who exert CPV, to analyze the differences between aggressors with different levels of cumulative ACEs in parental attachment, resilience, and emotional intelligence, and to evaluate the associations between these variables, as well as a possible mediational model. A total of 3,142 Spanish adolescents (50.7% girls) aged between 12 and 18 years from educational centers participated. Adolescents who exerted CPV presented higher rates of ACEs both independently and cumulatively than those without CPV. Aggressors with cumulative ACEs (88%) in general presented more insecure parental attachment, lower resilience, and lower emotional intelligence than those without cumulative ACEs, and, in turn, aggressors with high levels of cumulative ACEs than those with low levels of cumulative ACEs. Significant associations were identified between CPV, ACEs, insecure parental attachment, resilience, and emotional intelligence. The mediation model suggested that ACEs are related to CPV through preoccupied and traumatized parental attachment and also through low levels of emotional intelligence. The findings provide a better understanding of CPV from the perspective of ACEs, especially of those cases that involve an accumulation of adverse experiences during childhood, and suggest greater professional attention to these cases with the design of specialized CPV intervention programs.

Psychometric properties of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire 10 item version (ACE-10) among Hungarian adolescents.

Although a number of studies have been conducted since the 1995 initiation of the ACE study to map the effects of adverse childhood experiences, few studies have examined the psychometric properties of the individual versions of the ACE questionnaire. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire 10 item version (ACE-10) has only been tested in a single study in an adult population, while its applicability in a particularly vulnerable population, the adolescents, has not been investigated yet. Our present study aims to address this gap in an adolescent sample of 792 subjects from a non-representative general population. Besides demographic data, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire 10 item version (ACE-10), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the HBSC Symptom Checklist (HBSC-SCL) were employed. Our results showed acceptable internal consistency (ɵ = 0.86, α = 0.64) and adequate internal validity (r = 0.28-0.70, p < 0.001). In addition, proper concurrent criterion validity of the questionnaire was found when tested along the SDQ and HBSC-SCL items. Our results demonstrate that the ACE-10 is suitable for assessing intrafamilial adverse childhood experiences in adolescents.

2.18 Adverse Childhood Experiences Scoring in a Large Tertiary Care Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in adult patients have been well studied since they were first described by Vincent J. Felitti, MD, in 1998. However, limited work has been done with the scoring of ACEs in adolescents. This study compares the utility of using an objective self-report ACEs questionnaire with clinical interview documentation of abuse to assess trauma history in an inpatient adolescent population.

Tobacco use and its association with adverse childhood experiences in adolescents: A cross-sectional study from a school in central India

Background: Tobacco use is the most important modifiable determinant for prevention of noncommunicable diseases. Tobacco use is often initiated during adolescence, and understanding the factors associated with it is vital to prevent initiation. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and its association with adverse childhood experiences (ACE). Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 randomly selected students from a rural school. The World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test tool and WHO ACE international questionnaire were used to assess ever users of tobacco and ACE, respectively. Results: The prevalence of “ever” and “current” use of tobacco was 20.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.8–26.2) and 14.5% (95%CI = 9.5–19.5), respectively. Majority (65.9%) of the tobacco users had moderate level of tobacco addiction, whereas around 15% had severe addiction. All (100%) the participants had replied in affirmative to at least one of the questions related to the ACEs. On bivariate analysis, male students (prevalence odds ratio [POR] = 10.62, 95% CI = 3.62–31.21]), mothers with <10th grade education (POR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.08–4.42), parental awareness regarding free time (POR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.10–0.42), parents not giving enough food even when possible (POR = 5.28, 95% CI = 1.53–18.29), problem drinker in family (POR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.05–4.29), having divorced or separated parents (POR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.22–8.74), and being in a physical fight (POR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.19–4.87) had significantly higher odds of tobacco use. Adolescent boys (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 8.42, 95% CI = 2.60-26.60) and parental awareness regarding free time (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.17–0.94) were the significant predictors for tobacco consumption (P < 0.05) on binary logistic regression. Conclusions: Tobacco use is prevalent among adolescents and is significantly associated with experiencing ACEs.

Adolescent Adverse Childhood Experiences and Risk of Adult Intimate Partner Violence

Exposure to adverse experiences during adolescence may have significant implications for intimate partner violence during adulthood because it is during this developmental stage that many youth begin to have romantic relationships. Yet, few prospective longitudinal analyses on this topic exist. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature by examining the adverse childhood experiences during adolescence and intimate partner violence 15 years later during adulthood. Multilevel negative-binomial regression was used to examine the relationship between adolescent adverse childhood experiences (age 13-19 years) and adult intimate partner violence (age 28-34 years) in 499 participants over 5 waves of data from a 24-year longitudinal study (Wave 1: 1994) based in Flint, Michigan. Adolescent adverse childhood experiences included being a victim of violence, observed family conflict, parental intoxication, parental divorce, and observed community violence. Data analysis was conducted between 2019 and 2020. First, investigators modeled the adverse childhood experience variables as a summary score to predict intimate partner violence during adulthood while controlling for known risk factors and individual random effects. Secondly, this study examined individual adverse childhood experiences iteratively to understand which adverse experiences predicted intimate partner violence in adulthood and found that observed community violence remained significant when accounting for all other adverse childhood experiences (β=0.276, p<0.05). These findings support the negative effects of community violence in adolescence on later risk of intimate partner violence. Prevention interventions that focus on community health and violence prevention with a focus on healthy adolescent development may be pertinent in lowering intimate partner violence victimization in adulthood.

Adverse childhood experiences: Prevalence and related factors in adolescents of a Brazilian birth cohort

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can affect people's health and wellbeing not only at the time the ACE is experienced, but also later in life. The majority of studies on ACEs are carried out in high-income countries and little is known about its prevalence in low and middle-income countries. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of ACEs, associations between ACEs and sociodemographic factors, and the interrelationship between types of ACEs in adolescents of a Brazilian birth cohort. Data from 3,951 adolescents (78.4% of the original cohort) from the 1993 Pelotas Cohort were analyzed. Seven types of ACEs were assessed in those up to 18 years old: physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, domestic violence, parental separation and parental death. The most common ACE was parental separation (42%), followed by emotional neglect (19.7%) and domestic violence (10.3%). Approximately 85% of the adolescents experienced at least one ACE, and females reported a higher number of adversities. Several socioeconomic, demographic and family-related characteristics were associated with the occurrence of ACEs, e.g. non-white skin color, low family income, low maternal schooling, absence of mother's partner, maternal smoking, and poor maternal mental health. A strong interrelationship was observed among the ACEs, indicating clustering of risk. These aspects should be considered by health and social care professionals in the prevention and identification of childhood adversities.

Growing up with parental alcohol abuse: exposure to childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction

Objective: This study is a detailed examination of the association between parental alcohol abuse (mother only, father only, or both parents) and multiple forms of childhood abuse, neglect, and other household dysfunction, known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Method: A questionnaire about ACEs including child abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and exposure to parental alcohol abuse was completed by 8629 adult HMO members to retrospectively assess the relationship of growing up with parental alcohol abuse to 10 ACEs and multiple ACEs (ACE score). Results: Compared to persons who grew up with no parental alcohol abuse, the adjusted odds ratio for each category of ACE was approximately 2 to 13 times higher if either the mother, father, or both parents abused alcohol ( p < 0.05). For example, the likelihood of having a battered mother was increased 13-fold for men who grew up with both parents who abused alcohol (OR, 12.7; 95% CI: 8.4–19.1). For almost every ACE, those who grew up with both an alcohol-abusing mother and father had the highest likelihood of ACEs. The mean number of ACEs for persons with no parental alcohol abuse, father only, mother only, or both parents was 1.4, 2.6, 3.2, and 3.8, respectively ( p < .001). Conclusion: Although the retrospective reporting of these experiences cannot establish a causal association with certainty, exposure to parental alcohol abuse is highly associated with experiencing adverse childhood experiences. Improved coordination of adult and pediatric health care along with related social and substance abuse services may lead to earlier recognition, treatment, and prevention of both adult alcohol abuse and adverse childhood experiences, reducing the negative sequelae of ACEs in adolescents and adults.