Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subsequent Substance Abuse in a Sample of Sexual Offenders: Implications for Treatment and Prevention

Objective: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a significant but variable effect on childhood neurodevelopment. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the associations between “household challenge” ACEs and common childhood neurodevelopmental and behavioral health conditions, using nationally representative U.S. data. Method: This study used data from the 2016–2019 National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional survey. Seven household challenge ACEs (not including child maltreatment) were reported by parents/guardians: parental death, incarceration, divorce/separation, family violence, mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty. Logistic regression with sample weights was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for 15 parent-reported neurodevelopmental and behavioral health conditions, by the number of reported ACEs. A dose-response relationship was examined by applying tests of orthogonal polynomial contrasts to fitted logistic regression models. Results: Down syndrome, Tourette syndrome and cerebral palsy were not associated with household challenge ACEs, whereas behavior/conduct problems, depression, and substance abuse were strongly associated, with adjusted ORs ranging from 6.36 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.53, 7.32) to 9.19 (95% CI 7.79, 10.84). Other neurodevelopmental conditions not traditionally associated with childhood adversity showed moderate yet robust associations with ACEs, including autism (adjusted OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.64, 2.81), learning disability (adjusted OR 3.26, 95% CI 2.80, 3.80), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adjusted OR 3.95, 95% CI 3.44, 4.53). The ORs increased with the number of ACEs, showing significant positive linear trends. Conclusion: We found significant dose-dependent or cumulative associations between ACEs and multiple neurodevelopmental and behavioral conditions.

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The Prevalence of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Among Rural Latino Adults with Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences in California

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health ◽

10.1007/s10903-018-0811-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 971-976 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Irán Barrera ◽

Vrinda Sharma ◽

Yumiko Aratani

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Latino Adults

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Sexual Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Comparison Study in an Incarcerated U.S. Sample

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology ◽

10.1177/0306624x211066825 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0306624X2110668

Author(s):

Perry A. Callahan ◽

Elizabeth L. Jeglic ◽

Cynthia Calkins

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Sexual Offenders ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Comparison Study ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Sexual Offenses ◽

Offending Behavior ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The U.S ◽

Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities

Research indicates that individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are overrepresented among sexual offenders, and that those with ID might differ from those without ID in terms of the etiology of offending behavior. Despite this, few studies have explored ID using incarcerated U.S. samples. The present study sought to identify relevant characteristics of this population by comparing individuals with and without ID who are incarcerated in the U.S. for sexual offenses. Archival records for 3,066 participants were used to determine demographic, historical, and offense-related characteristics. Participants with ID, including those with borderline ID, comprised 19.1% of the sample and displayed elevated rates of adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology. Contrary to previous research, participants with ID were no more likely to offend against children than those without ID. These findings help to elucidate the etiology of offending behavior among those with ID and inform on potential targets for intervention.

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