Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Research Articles

The Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors among Black Children and Youth.

There is limited research on the short-term effects of ACEs on Black children and youth. Black children and youth are disproportionately exposed to abuse, neglect, and other victimizations (Drake et al. 2009; Wade et al. Journal of Family Issues, 17(3), 283-316, 2014). Investigating ACEs will provide a broader understanding of childhood trauma on developmental processes. The current study investigates how ACES impacts psychological distress, substance use, and delinquency among Black children and youth. Hypotheses were tested using a subsample of longitudinal data from 265 participants who were recruited from six school districts in Southeast Michigan. ACEs at T1 significantly predicted depressive symptoms at T2 (β = .19, p< .05), which in turn predicted substance use (β = .20, p< .05), and delinquency (β = .19, p < .05). Psychological distress also mediated the associations between ACEs and substance use, and delinquency. To engage youth in prevention/interventions and practice, it is important to understand the contexts in which they develop i.e. having knowledge on the specific type of victimization instances that Black youth may experience more than their peers as well as the social factors. Therefore, taking a trauma-informed approach that will acknowledge the adverse childhood experiences that youth went through and to understand how these experiences shape their development through adolescence may be efficacious.

Cumulative Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experience: Depressive Symptoms, Suicide Intensions and Suicide Plans among Senior High School Students in Nanchang City of China.

This study tested relationships between different types of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and depressive symptoms, suicide intensions, suicide plans and examines the cumulative effects of adverse childhood experience on depressive, suicide intentions and suicide plans among senior high school students. We conducted a survey among five senior high schools in Nanchang city, which were selected through stratified random cluster sampling. Among the 884 respondents, 409 were male (46.27%), and 475 were female (53.73%); the age ranged from 14 to 18. During the past 12 months, 199 (22.51%) students presented to depressive symptoms, 125 (14.14%) students had suicide intensions, 55 (6.22%) students had suicide plans. As ACE scores increased, there was an increase in the odds of (1) depressive symptoms—one ACE (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 2.096, p < 0.001), two ACEs (AOR = 3.155, p < 0.001) and three to five ACEs (AOR = 9.707, p < 0.001); suicide intensions-1 ACE (AOR = 1.831, p = 0.011), two ACEs (AOR = 2.632, p = 0.002) and three to five ACEs (AOR = 10.836, p < 0.001); and (2) suicide plans—one ACE (AOR = 2.599, p < 0.001), two ACEs (AOR = 4.748, p < 0.001) and three to five ACEs (AOR = 22.660, p < 0.001). We should increase the awareness of adolescents who have had adverse childhood experience, especially those with multiple ACEs to prevent depression and suicide among senior high school students.

Emotion regulation strategies modulate the effect of adverse childhood experiences on perceived chronicstress with implications for cognitive flexibility.

Exposure to early life adversity is associated with chronic stress and a range of stress-related health problems in adulthood. Since chronic stress debilitates activity in the prefrontal cortex (pFC), maladaptive regulatory strategies in response to stress have been proposed as one explanation for the impact of early life adversity on health outcomes in adulthood. We conducted a study to examine the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on cognitive flexibility, a key executive function implicated in activity in the pFC, in a sample of adults (N = 486). Additionally, we investigated whether perceptions of chronic stress in adulthood would mediate the influence of ACEs on cognitive flexibility. However, stress is a subjective experience, and emotion regulation strategies can attenuate the stress response. So, we also examined if individual differences in emotion regulation strategies would modulate the relationship between ACEs and chronic stress. Our results demonstrate that early life adversity, as characterized by ACEs, is associated with decreased cognitive flexibility in adulthood. Additionally, number of ACEs was positively correlated with perceived stress, which in turn was negatively correlated with cognitive flexibility. But, individual differences in the habitual use of emotion regulation strategies moderated the influence of ACEs on chronic stress. Specifically, habitual use of cognitive reappraisal attenuated the stress levels whereas habitual use of expressive suppression exacerbated stress levels. Overall, our study highlights the importance of examining emotion regulation in individuals who have experienced early life adversity.

Toward Trauma‐Informed Career Counseling

The Adverse Childhood Experiences study (Felitti et al., 1998) showed that early adversity can have a profound lifelong effect on personal development, social relationships, coping methods, and career trajectories. The authors review critical findings related to trauma‐informed counseling practices, discuss literature linking trauma and career theories, and consider how career counseling could address the effects of adverse childhood experiences using trauma‐informed practices. An integration of trauma‐informed practices with career counseling using narrative and other approaches is proposed. The proposed integration holds implications for incorporating trauma‐informed practice in career counselor preparation programs and in career counseling practice.

The effect of adverse childhood experiences on depression, psychological distress and suicidal thought in Vietnamese adolescents: Findings from multiple cross-sectional studies.

Exposing to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been identified as one of the major contributing factors to poor mental health and suicide in adolescents. However, little is known about this relationship in Vietnamese adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ACEs on depression, psychological distress and suicidal thought among Vietnamese adolescents across different areas in Vietnam. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted among 4957 secondary school and high school students aged 13-20 in urban area, rural area, border area and mountainous area. The students were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire which included the Center for Epidemiological studies - Depression, the Kessler-10 and ACE questionnaire from the WHO Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. Suicidal thought was evaluated by a single question from the U.S. Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Among 4720 students included in the analysis, 54.4% were female. The prevalence of depression, psychological distress and suicidal thought was 22.9%, 30.6% and 10.9% respectively. About 86% of participants experienced at least one type of ACEs and nearly 56% reported multiple types of ACEs. Students with four or more types of ACEs had 6.98 (95% CI 5.09 -9.56), 4.72 (95 % CI 3.58-6.23) and 6.43 (95 % CI 4.45-9.30) times higher in odds of having depression, psychological distress and suicidal thought respectively. In conclusion, ACEs are common in Vietnamese adolescents and are strongly associated with depression, psychological distress and suicidal thought. Our finding indicates urgent needs for interventions targeting both ACEs and depression, psychological distress in Vietnamese adolescents.

Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Risk of Lifetime Suicide Attempts

Objectives This study aims to examine the effect of adverse childhood experiences (hereafter ACE) on the risk of lifetime suicide attempts. Methods Cross-sectional data of a sample of 1,396 individuals aged 18-64 years were obtained from the Korean General Social Survey (KGSS) in 2012. Frequency, chi-square analysis, and logistic regression were conducted, utilizing both the SPSS 25.0 and Stata 16. Additionally, population attributable fractions (hereafter PAF) were calculated to determine the proportion of lifetime suicide attempts attributable to ACE. Results First, parental divorce or separation, witnessing intimate partner violence, and sexual victimization, each increased the risk of lifetime suicide attempts by three times. Compared with those without ACE, the cumulative risk odds of lifetime suicide attempts increased more than five times among those with four or more ACE. Additionally, the estimated PAF for lifetime suicide attempts to cumulative ACE scores ranged from 8% to 14% among the participants. A substantial proportion of suicide attempts was attributable to the increasing number of ACE. Conclusion The risk of experiencing lifetime suicide attempts increased with increasing ACE scores. ACE prevention actions should carefully consider how ACE may exacerbate the risk of lifetime suicide attempts. Keywords: adverse childhood experiences, ACE, suicide attempts, PAF, KGSS

Adverse childhood experiences, DNA methylation age acceleration, and cortisol in UK children: a prospective population-based cohort study

BackgroundEpigenetic mechanisms may partly explain the persistent effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health outcomes in later life. DNA methylation can predict chronological age, and advanced methylation-predicted age beyond chronological age (DNA methylation age acceleration) is associated with ACEs, adverse mental and physical health, and elevated diurnal and baseline salivary cortisol. Childhood adversity is also associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which produces the neuroendocrine hormone cortisol. It remains unknown whether these associations are specific to certain types of adversity. Herein, we investigate the associations of ACEs with DNA methylation age acceleration and plasma cortisol in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort.MethodsIn this study of the children in ALSPAC, we used multiple linear regression to examine associations of cumulative exposure to ACE, as well as exposure to ten individual types of ACEs, with Horvath-estimated DNA methylation age acceleration and with baseline plasma cortisol. The ten ACEs were those included in the World Health Organization’s ACE International Questionnaire. Data on ACEs were prospectively collected from age 0–14 years. DNA methylation age acceleration and plasma cortisol were measured at mean 17.1 years and 15.5 years, respectively.ResultsWe included 974 UK children in the present study. Exposure to four or more ACEs compared to zero was associated with DNA methylation age acceleration in girls (β, 95% CI = 1.65, 0.25 to 3.04 years) but not in boys (β, 95% CI = − 0.11, − 1.48 to 1.26 years). Also, in girls, emotional abuse and physical abuse were each associated with DNA methylation age acceleration (β, 95% CI = 1.20, 0.15 to 2.26 years and β, 95% CI = 1.22, 0.06 to 2.38 years, respectively). No other ACEs were associated with accelerated DNA methylation age in either sex. Associations were also null between ACE and cortisol, and cortisol and DNA methylation age acceleration.ConclusionsIn this prospective population-based study of UK children, cumulative ACE exposure, emotional abuse, and physical abuse between age 0 and 14 years were each associated with Horvath-estimated DNA methylation age acceleration at age 17 years in girls but not in boys.

Relative contribution of maternal adverse childhood experiences to understanding children's externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5: findings from the All Our Families cohort.

The negative effect of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on physical and mental health has led to calls for routine screening for ACEs in primary care settings. We aimed to examine the association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour problems (externalizing and internalizing) at age 5 in the context of other known predictors. We analyzed data from mother-and-child dyads participating in the All Our Families cohort in Calgary, Canada, between 2011 and 2017. Data were collected for factors related to the individual child (sex, age, temperament and behaviour), the mother (adverse childhood experiences, mental health, personality and parenting) and sociodemographic characteristics (family income, ethnicity and family structure) when the children were 3 and 5 years of age. We used logistic regression models to estimate crude and adjusted associations between maternal ACEs and children's externalizing (hyperactivity and aggression) and internalizing (anxiety, depression and somatization) behaviours. Data were available for 1688 mother-and-child dyads. In the crude models, the presence of 4 or more maternal ACEs was associated with children's externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5. However, these associations were attenuated with adjustment. Persistent maternal mental health symptoms were associated with both externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5 (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.50-7.05, and adjusted OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.66-3.81, respectively). High levels of ineffective parenting behaviours were also associated with both externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5 (adjusted OR 6.27, 95% CI 4.30-9.14, and adjusted OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.03-1.99, respectively). The association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour at age 5 was weakened in the presence of other maternal and family-level factors. Assessments of maternal mental health and parenting behaviours may be better targets for identifying children at risk of behavioural problems.

Associations Between Child Maltreatment, Autonomic Regulation, and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcome in an Urban Population: The HELIUS Study.

IntroductionA mounting body of literature emphasizes the potential negative effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on both mental and physical health throughout life, including an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since CVD is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, it is of great importance to advance our understanding of the effects of on CVD. This holds both for the actual incidence and for intermediate biological pathways that may convey CVD risk, such as imbalance in autonomic nervous system regulation, resulting in a chronically heightened sympathetic activity and lowered reactivity. In a large urban, multi-ethnic population-based cohort study we investigated whether there is an association between child maltreatment, CVD incidence and autonomic regulation.MethodsWithin the Health in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study, a large, multi-ethnic population cohort study including n = 22,165 Amsterdam residents, we used logistic regression analyses to investigate the association between the number of self-reported types of child maltreatment (range 0–4), and self-reported adverse cardiovascular outcome (aCVO). Self-reported child maltreatment included emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Furthermore, in a subsample (n = 10,260), mean age 44.3, we investigated associations between child maltreatment, autonomic regulation, and aCVO using linear regression analyses. Both baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed as non-invasive indices of autonomic regulation.ResultsThe number of endorsed child maltreatment types was significantly associated with a higher aCVO risk. The association remained significant after adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, health-behavioral, and psychological covariates (p = 0.011, odds ratio: 1.078, confidence interval: 1.018–1.142). The cumulative exposure to child maltreatment was negatively associated with BRS and HRV, but the association was no longer significant after correction for socioeconomic and demographic covariates.ConclusionIn a large, multi-ethnic urban-population cohort study we observed a positive association between number of endorsed child maltreatment types and self-reported aCVO but not autonomic regulation, over and above the effect of relevant demographic, health, and psychological factors. Future studies should examine the potential role of the dynamics of autonomic dysregulation as potential underlying biological pathways in the association between ACEs and CVD, as this could eventually facilitate the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for CVD.

Self-Efficacy and Emotional Stability Buffer Negative Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Young Adult Health-Related Quality of Life

PurposeThe impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on various health outcomes is a major public health concern. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of direct and indirect effects of ACEs on young adult mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to identify protective factors that could be addressed by public health interventions. MethodsWe used structural equation modeling to investigate associations between ACE exposure and mental and physical HRQoL in 3,704 young adults (44.5% male) who participated at baseline (2003–2006; mean age = 12.2 years, 95% confidence interval = 12.1–12.3) and at the second follow-up (2014–2017; mean age = 25.0 years, 95% confidence interval = 24.9–25.1) of the KiGGS cohort study, a population-based study of children and adolescents in Germany. We investigated the mediating role of protective factors in associations between ACEs and adult HRQoL while controlling for child/adolescent HRQoL. ResultsA substantial proportion of young adults (65.6%) reported an ACE. Emotional abuse, neglect, depression/suicide of a household member, and ACE co-occurrence affected HRQoL negatively. Some of the negative effects of ACEs on HRQoL were attenuated, and cumulative effects from ACE co-occurrence were buffered by protective factors. ConclusionsSelf-efficacy and emotional stability seem to play a key role in buffering the effects of ACEs on mental and physical HRQoL. To reduce the negative impact of ACEs, public health measures should pay additional attention to emotional abuse and promote coping and adaption competencies in children and adolescents with ACE and in general.

Is There an Ace Up Our Sleeve? A Review of Interventions and Strategies for Addressing Behavioral and Neurobiological Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Youth.

Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) is a major public health crisis posing as a significant risk of immediate and sustained mental and physical health consequences. While a remarkable body of knowledge has been amassed showing psychological, cognitive, social, developmental, and neurobiological consequences of ELA exposure, little has been done to improve the long-term mental and physical health outcomes for youth exposed to ELA. Furthermore, neurobiological processes underlying poor outcomes in this population have been largely left out of prevention and intervention target efforts. In this review, we first describe ELA-related alterations across psychological and neurobiological systems in children and adolescents. Next, we describe existing evidence-based interventions targeting ELA-related outcomes. We then turn to experimental studies examining individual differences in mechanistic functioning consequent to ELA exposure, and strategies that target these mechanisms and modulate disrupted functioning. Finally, we highlight areas of future research that may be promising in engaging behavioral and neurobiological targets through novel preventive interventions or augmentation of existing interventions, thereby reducing negative mental and physical health outcomes later in life.

Childhood adversities in UK treatment-seeking military veterans

IntroductionThe long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on adult physical and mental health are well documented in the literature. The current study sought to examine this relationship in a...

Influence of Severity of Type and Timing of Retrospectively Reported Childhood Maltreatment on Female Amygdala and Hippocampal Volume

Deleterious effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on human brain volume are widely reported. First evidence points to differential effects of ACE on brain volume in terms of timing of ACE. Upcoming studies additionally point towards the impact of different types (i.e., neglect and abuse) of ACE in terms of timing. The current study aimed to investigate the correlation between retrospectively reported severity of type (i.e., the extent to which subjects were exposed to abuse and/or neglect, respectively) and timing of ACE on female brain volume in a sample of prolonged traumatized subjects. A female sample with ACE (N = 68) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and a structured interview exploring the severity of ACE from age 3 up to 17 using the “Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure” (MACE). Random forest regression with conditional interference trees was applied to assess the impact of ACE severity as well as the severity of ACE type, (i.e. to what extent individuals were exposed to neglect and/or abuse) at certain ages on pre-defined regions of interest such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate (ACC) volume. Analyses revealed differential type and timing-specific effects of ACE on stress sensitive brain structures: Amygdala and hippocampal volume were affected by ACE severity during a period covering preadolescence and early adolescence. Crucially, this effect was driven by the severity of neglect.

The effect of adverse childhood experiences on deviant and altruistic behavior during emerging adulthood.

The experience of coping with negative events in early ages (childhood and adolescence) has consistently been linked to some specific deviant behaviors, such as juvenile justice involvement or persistence in crime. In contrast, very few studies have focused on the link between Adverse Childhood Experiences and altruistic behavior. The objective of this study is to examine the possible influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the social behavior exhibited in emerging adulthood (specifically deviant and altruistic behavior). The study population consisted of 490 young adults between the ages of 18 and 20, with a mean of 18.90 years (SD = .77). All voluntarily completed the following self-report questionnaires: the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire, the Deviant Behavior Scale, and the Altruistic Scale. Linear regression models found that Adverse Childhood Experiences were strong, positive predictors of deviant behaviors. Moreover, specific Adverse Childhood Experiences (physical abuse for deviant behavior, and emotional neglect for altruistic behaviors) had notable, differential effects. The prevention or early detection of Adverse Childhood Experiences during childhood could contribute to reducing maladaptive patterns of behavior and to increasing altruistic patterns during emerging adulthood.

Self-Regulation as Key Factor in Protection Against the Harmful Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Critical Role for Occupational Therapists

Self-Regulation as Key Factor in Protection Against the Harmful Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Critical Role for Occupational Therapists

Moderating the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences to Address Inequities in Tobacco-Related Risk Behaviors.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can increase the risk of engagement in unhealthy behaviors including tobacco use. Protective factors, such as safe, stable, and nurturing relationships (SSNRs) can potentially moderate the long-term impact of ACEs by helping children build resilience. However, there is limited research on whether the impact of these factors is stronger among Black children and families, who face disproportionately poorer health outcomes compared to their White counterparts. This study examined the relationships among protective factors in childhood, ACEs (one or more vs. none), and tobacco use (smoking tobacco, e-cigarette use) in adulthood, including whether these relationships differed by race. Data were obtained from the 2016 South Carolina administration of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 7,014). Using stratified, multivariate logistic regression, the presence of an SSNR in childhood (whether participants' basic needs were met and whether they felt safe and protected during childhood) was assessed as a potential moderator of the association between ACEs (one or more vs. none) and smoking tobacco or e-cigarettes stratified by race (Black and White). Control variables included sex, age, educational attainment, and income. Statistically significant moderating effects of an SSNR was present for White adults only: The relationship between ACEs and risk behaviors was weakened when an SSNR was present in childhood. Although SSNRs appear to prevent some risk behavior consequences from ACEs among some groups, additional research is needed to understand their potential utility across population subgroups.

Investigating racial differences in clusters of adverse childhood experiences.

Many researchers have examined the cumulative effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and found that higher levels of ACEs increase the risk for worsening health conditions. Recent research has moved beyond the simple counting of ACEs, to develop a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which ACEs are experienced. Despite evidence that ACEs are experienced differentially by race, limited attention has been paid to these differences. The objective of the current study is to understand whether groupings of ACEs are experienced similarly across racial groups. A subsample of Latinx, Black, and White children were drawn from the National Survey of Children's Health 2016 data release was used as the sample (N = 43,711). The primary measure included in the study were 9 ACE indicators available in the survey. We use descriptive and latent class analysis to examine whether similar clusters of ACEs appear across racial groups. We found that White children had lower exposure to specific ACEs as well as total number of ACEs compared to non-Latinx Black and Latinx Children. In addition, there was not configural similarity between race/ethnic groups and the latent class structure of ACE exposure varies by child race/ethnicity, suggesting important differences by child race. Understanding the disparities in children's experiences can inform screening and intervention development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of Borderline Intellectual Functioning and Adverse Childhood Experience with adult psychiatric morbidity. Findings from a British birth cohort

BackgroundTo examine whether Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) and Adverse Childhood Experiences independently predict adult psychiatric morbidity.MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of longitudinal data derived from the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study to examine whether BIF and Adverse Childhood Experiences independently predict adult mental distress as measured by the Malaise Inventory. Factor analysis was used to derive a proxy measure of IQ from cognitive testing at age 10 or 5. Variables that could be indicators of exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences were identified and grouped into health related and socio-economic related adversity.ResultsChildren with BIF were significantly more likely than their peers to have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (BIF mean 5.90, non-BIF mean 3.19; Mann-Whitney z = 31.74, p < 0.001). As adults, participants with BIF were significantly more likely to score above the cut-off on the Malaise Inventory. We found statistically significant relationships between the number of socio-economic Adverse Childhood Experiences and poorer adult psychiatric morbidity (r range 0.104–0.141, all p < 001). At all ages the indirect mediating effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences were significantly related to adult psychiatric morbidity.ConclusionsThe relationship between BIF and adult psychiatric morbidity appears to be partially mediated by exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences. Where possible, targeting Adverse Childhood Experiences through early detection, prevention and interventions may improve psychiatric morbidity in this population group.

Combined effect of adverse childhood experiences and young age on self-harm ideation after birth

Abstract Background Suicide among postpartum women is a new and emerging issue in developed countries. However, little is known about the combined effect of risk factors on self-harm ideation, although various risk factors have been found. The aim of this study is to examine the combined effect of maternal adverse childhood experiences and maternal age on self-harm ideation among postpartum women. Methods The study comprised a cross-sectional study of 8,074 mothers participating in a 3-month health checkup between September 2013 and August 2014 in City A, Prefecture A, Japan. Main outcome was self-harm ideation assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), item 10. Possible risk factors were maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), maternal characteristics, relationship with husband/partner (e.g., feelings when pregnancy was confirmed), household characteristics, child characteristics (e.g., age, sex, birth weight), and postpartum characteristics, and postpartum depression status other than self-harm ideation. Results Postpartum women with 3 or more ACEs and younger age (&amp;lt;25 years old) were 10.3 times more likely than those with no ACEs and older age to have self-harm ideation (95%CI=5.3-20.2). This combined effect was also found in first-time mothers (OR = 7.6, 95%CI=3.2-17.9). Conclusions Postpartum women with 3 or more ACEs and who were younger than 25 years old were at a high risk for self-harm ideation. Providing prevention strategies aimed at mothers with multiple risk factors, especially younger age and ACEs, is warranted. Key messages Mothers with 3 or more ACEs and younger age had a high self-harm ideation risk. Providing prevention strategies for mothers with multiple risk factors is warranted.

Mental health service use among university students with adverse childhood experiences

Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are a risk factor for mental health disorders and serious somatic illnesses. There is a need for preventing ACE and using mental health care by youth who experienced them. Aims of this study were to examine which ACE are related to mental health service use and to identify a scope of unrecognized needs for these services among students who had experienced abuse/neglect in childhood. Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 2.381 first-year students from six universities in Serbia in 2014. The survey instrument was a questionnaire developed by WHO and CDC. Thirteen ACE (covering household dysfunctionalities, abuse, neglect, peer and collective violence) and using of mental health services at least once during lifetime were assessed. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results Compared to respondents without particular ACE, odds (±95% CI) of mental health service use were higher only in those with next adversities: parental divorce, OR = 2,26 (1,53-3,33); suicidal/mentally ill family member, OR = 2,21 (1,42-3,44); witnessing partner violence, OR = 1,51 (1,04-2,18); peer violence, OR = 2,14 (1,51-3,03); collective violence OR = 1,48 (1,05- 2,10). Among respondents who had experienced emotional neglect, 81% have never used professional help. For physical neglect, physical and psychological abuse this percentage was 83%. Conclusions The study highlights ACE associated with mental health service use and shows a significant presence of unrecognized needs for these services. There is need for: determining barriers in this area and formulation of effective health promotion strategies; more consistent application of legislation; conducting screening on child abuse/neglect in families with a higher risk for them. Key messages High share of youth with childhood adversities remains without help of mental health specialists.It opens the issue of barriers on the side of youth as well as on the side of health system and society Considering consequences of adverse childhood experiences, there is need for comprehensive public health interventions in order to increase mental health service use among young people with ACE.