Association between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Developmental Delay of Preschool Children in a Rural Area of Colombia

Investigations have found maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) cause an intergenerational danger to their children’s health. However, no study has investigated the effects of maternal ACEs on behavioral problems of preschool children in China and gender differences on these effects. This paper aims to investigate the role of maternal ACEs on behavioral problems of preschool children in China and explore gender differences as related to these behavioral problems. Stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 7318 preschool children from 12 districts in Hefei city, China. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect information on maternal exposure to ACEs and Conners’ Parent Rating Scales. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between maternal ACEs and children’s behavioral problems. The prevalence of behavioral problems in preschool children was 16.0%, while it was higher among girls (18.4%) than boys (13.92%) (χ2 = 27.979, p < 0.001). The rate of behavioral problems in children in the group of mothers with ACEs was higher than those without ACEs (all p < 0.05). Maternal ACEs were associated with increased risk of the behavior problems in preschool children (adjusted OR 2.91, 95% CI 2.45–3.45), and no gender difference (in girls 3.01, 2.38–3.81, in boys 2.79, 2.17–3.58, respectively) was found. Maternal ACEs were associated with increased risk of each type of the behavioral problems of preschool children, except that maternal emotional neglect was not associated with psycho-physical problems, impulse-activities, and anxiety. The only gender differences found were higher conduct problems related to maternal emotional abuse and ACEs and higher anxiety related to maternal physical abuse and community violence in girls compared with boys. Mothers exposured to ACEs are more likely to have children with behavioral health problems in preschool period. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms by which maternal ACEs influence children’s behavioral problems.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences of Urban and Rural Preschool Children in Poverty

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16142623 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (14) ◽

pp. 2623 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Leanne Whiteside-Mansell ◽

Lorraine McKelvey ◽

Jennifer Saccente ◽

James P. Selig

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Black Children ◽

The United States ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Cohen’S D ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Cohen's D

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have long-term health consequences. Young children in the southern part of the United States (US) are at greater risk than children in other parts of the US. This study assessed preschool children ACEs using a family-friendly tool, the Family Map (FMI), and compared children living in rural/urban areas while examining the potential moderation of race. The FMI–ACE score was examined as a total and two sub-scores. We found that race did not moderate the FMI–ACE score but that Black children (Cohen’s d = 0.52) and children in urban and large rural areas were at highest risk (Cohen’s d = 0.38). However, the subscale FMI–ACEs parenting risk was moderated by race such as that Black children were less at risk in rural areas than urban (Cohen’s d = 0.62). For FMI–ACEs environmental risk, race moderated risk such that Black children were most at risk in large rural areas but less so in small rural areas (Cohen’s d = 0.21). Hispanic children were most at risk in small rural areas and least in large rural environments. Findings from this study suggest that targeting the most at-risk children for interventions should consider the context including race and location.

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Children and Caregivers' Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES): Association with Children's and Caregivers' Psychological Outcomes in a Therapeutic Preschool Program

10.20944/preprints201802.0186.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Yair Ziv ◽

Inbar Sofri ◽

Kristen L. Capps Umphlet ◽

Stephanie Olarte ◽

Jimmy Venza

Keyword(s):

Social Skills ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Social Information Processing ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) has been found to have a profound negative impact on multiple child outcomes, including academic achievement, social cognition patterns, and behavioral adjustment. However, these links have yet to be examined in preschool children that are already experiencing behavior or social-emotional problems. Thus, the present study examined the links between the caregiver's and the child's exposure to ACE and multiple child and caregiver's outcomes in a sample of 30 preschool children enrolled in a Therapeutic Nursery Program (TNP). Children are typically referred to this TNP due to significant delays in their social emotional development that often result in difficulty functioning in typical childcare, home, and community settings. Analyses revealed some contradictory patterns that may be specific to this clinical sample. Children with higher exposure to ACE showed more biased social information processing patterns and their caregivers reported lower child social skills than caregivers of children with less exposure, however their inhibitory control levels were higher (better control) and staff reported that these children exhibited better social skills as well as better approaches to learning than children with less exposure. No such contradictions were found in relation to the caregiver's exposure to ACE, as it was positively associated with a number of negative child and caregiver outcomes.

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