Lifetime traumatic stressors and adverse childhood experiences uniquely predict concurrent PTSD, complex PTSD, and dissociative subtype of PTSD symptoms whereas recent adult non-traumatic stressors do not: results from an online survey study

Abstract Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide integral support to many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Yet, individuals' access to qualified DSPs is often compromised as organizations struggle to hire and retain DSPs. Despite a vast body of research exploring factors associated with turnover, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among DSPs remain absent from the literature. ACEs encompass abuse and familial dysfunction prior to the age of 18 and, in the general population, have been linked to compromised well-being and work-related challenges in adult life. An online survey was conducted to explore the prevalence of ACE categories and ACE scores (i.e., the sum of each ACE category experienced by a person) among DSPs (n = 386) working in licensed settings. Seventy-five percent of DSPs experienced at least one ACE and 30% had an ACE score of four or more. DSPs who identified as female and those who had been in their position less than one year had significantly higher ACE scores than males and others who had been in their position longer, respectively. In comparison with other studies, the four most common ACE categories among DSPs (i.e., divorce, emotional abuse, mental illness, and substance abuse) were the same, however, DSPs in the present study had a higher average ACE score and nearly twice the percentage of persons having an ACE score of four or more. The potential implications of ACEs among DSPs, at the intersection of their work with individuals with IDD, are discussed.

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Perceptions of a short animated film on adverse childhood experiences: a mixed methods evaluation

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050398 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e050398

Author(s):

Kat Ford ◽

Mark A Bellis ◽

Kate R Isherwood ◽

Karen E Hughes

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Public Response ◽

Public Sentiment ◽

Mixed Methods Evaluation ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Animated Film

ObjectivesAn evaluation of a short animated film on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to explore attitudes and sentiment towards the film including, for a subsample of professionals, associations between attitudes and personal experience of ACEs.DesignMixed-method exploratory design.SettingProfessionals and the general public.ParticipantsA short online survey with 239 professionals. Interaction and user sentiment towards with the film on social media (Twitter, YouTube).Primary and secondary outcome measuresSurvey: participants’ attitudes towards the film including feelings invoked, learning gained and ACE count prevalence. Twitter user and YouTube viewer sentiment (positive, negative or neutral) and interaction (likes, retweets or comments) with the film.ResultsAttitudes to the film were positive: 94.1% and 93.7%, respectively, agreed that it provided a helpful explanation of ACEs and trusted that the film was credible. Of those who reported ACE exposure, 88.9% agreed that those with ACEs would benefit from watching the film. Despite 50.6% reporting that the film had made them feel sad or upset, the majority (66.4%) reported they found the film hopeful or encouraging. Across 358 publicly available tweets from 313 users, 39.1% of tweets expressed positive sentiment, with only 1.4% negative (59.5% neutral). However, there was no association between tweet sentiment and interaction. Thirteen YouTube versions of the film received 171 812 views, 97.3% (n=889/914) ratings were positive (ie, ‘thumbs up’).ConclusionsDespite being emotionally arousing, many professionals reflected positive impacts of the film including a perceived increased ability to discuss ACEs. Public sentiment demonstrated a positive reaction to and acceptability of the film. Understanding the professional and public response to materials developed to increase ACE awareness, such as the film explored here, is important given the growing number of international movements which seek to increase ACE awareness, prevent ACEs and mitigate their lifelong negative effects.

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Adverse childhood experiences, exposure to a natural disaster and posttraumatic stress disorder among survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796017000233 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 45-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Y. Inoue ◽

A. Stickley ◽

A. Yazawa ◽

J. Aida ◽

I. Kawachi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Older People ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

Aims.To investigate whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) modify the impact of exposure to a natural disaster (the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami) on the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among older people.Methods.Data were collected as part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), which is an on-going epidemiological survey investigating social determinants of health among older people across Japan. Information on PTSD symptoms based on the Screening Questionnaire for Disaster Mental Health, traumatic exposure to the earthquake (i.e., house damage and loss of relatives/friends during the earthquake/tsunami) and ACEs was obtained from 580 participants aged 65 or older living in Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, which suffered severe damage as a result of the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in March 2011. Associations were examined using Poisson regression analysis with a robust variance estimator after adjusting for covariates.Results.The prevalence of PTSD was 9.7% in this population; compared to those with no traumatic experience, the prevalence of PTSD was approximately two times higher among those who experienced the loss of close friends/relatives (PR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.11–3.03, p = 0.018), or whose house was damaged (PR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.07–4.34, p = 0.032). ACE was not significantly associated with PTSD. Stratified analyses by the presence of ACE showed that damage due to the earthquake/tsunami was associated with PTSD only among those without ACEs; more specifically, among non-ACE respondents the PR of PTSD associated with house damage was 6.67 (95% CI = 1.66–26.80), while for the loss of a relative or a close friend it was 3.56 (95% CI = 1.18–10.75). In contrast, no statistically significant associations were observed among those with ACEs.Conclusion.Following the Great East Japan earthquake/tsunami in 2011 a higher risk of developing PTSD symptoms was observed in 2013 especially among older individuals without ACEs. This suggests that ACEs might affect how individuals respond to subsequent traumatic events later in life.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Well-Being in Chinese College Students: Moderated Mediation by Gender and Resilience

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.710635 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Yafan Chen ◽

Kai Hua ◽

Chienchung Huang ◽

Gaosheng Zhou ◽

Jianfeng Wang

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Chinese Populations ◽

Adverse Childhood

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child abuse/neglect and household challenges, are a prevalent social issue that impacts individuals' well-being worldwide. Relatively few ACEs studies orient to the presence of psychological wellness, especially in ethnically Chinese populations. Furthermore, less is known about resilience as a mechanism between ACEs and psychological well-being, in addition to the moderating effect of gender. This study examined the relationship between ACEs and psychological well-being among Chinese college students and the potential mediating and moderating effects of resilience and gender, respectively. A total of 1,871 college students studying social science from 12 Chinese colleges completed an anonymous online survey between late September and early October 2020. Multiple-group path analyses were conducted to examine whether the relationships among ACEs, resilience, and psychological well-being differed as a function of gender. Results suggested that gender moderated the relationships studied. For female students, resilience mediated the association between abuse/neglect and psychological well-being, where abuse/neglect was negatively associated with resilience, which in turn had a negative relationship with psychological well-being. For male students, household challenges were negatively related to psychological well-being through reduced resilience. Based on the findings, various ACE-informed initiatives may be essential to prevent and protect individuals from ACEs. We also call for resilience-based interventions to enhance individuals' resilience and thus strengthen their psychological well-being.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Emotional Intelligence in Partner Aggression

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00026 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 513-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Rachael M. Swopes ◽

Daniel V. Simonet ◽

Anna E. Jaffe ◽

Robert P. Tett ◽

Joanne L. Davis

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Emotional Intelligence ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Partner Aggression ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to childhood abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and low emotional intelligence (EI). Relationships among adverse childhood experiences (ACE), PTSD symptoms, and partner aggression (i.e., generalized tendency to aggress toward one’s partner) were assessed in 108 male IPV offenders. It was hypothesized that ACE is positively correlated with partner aggression, PTSD mediates the ACE-aggression relationship, and the ACE-PTSD-aggression mediation varies by selected EI facets. Results indicate that ACE has an indirect effect on partner aggression via PTSD and PTSD mediates the ACE–aggression link when emotional self-regulation is low and when intuition (vs. reason) is high. Trauma-exposed IPV offenders may benefit from comprehensive treatments focusing on PTSD symptoms, emotional control, and reasoning skills to reduce aggression.

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A Pilot Study Investigating the Role of Gender in the Intergenerational Relationships between Gene Expression, Chronic Pain, and Adverse Childhood Experiences in a Clinical Sample of Youth with Chronic Pain

Epigenomes ◽

10.3390/epigenomes5020009 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 9

Author(s):

Jennaya Christensen ◽

Jaimie K. Beveridge ◽

Melinda Wang ◽

Serena L. Orr ◽

Melanie Noel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Saliva Sample ◽

Intergenerational Relationships ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Epigenetic Biomarkers ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Parental Trauma

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent and costly issue that often emerges during childhood or adolescence and persists into adulthood. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase risk for several adverse health conditions, including chronic pain. Recent evidence suggests that parental trauma (ACEs, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms) confers risk of poor health outcomes in their children. Intergenerational relationships between parental trauma and child chronic pain may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. A clinical sample of youth with chronic pain and their parents completed psychometrically sound questionnaires assessing ACEs, PTSD symptoms, and chronic pain, and provided a saliva sample. These were used to investigate the intergenerational relationships between four epigenetic biomarkers (COMT, DRD2, GR, and SERT), trauma, and chronic pain. The results indicated that the significant biomarkers were dependent upon the gender of the child, wherein parental ACEs significantly correlated with changes in DRD2 expression in female children and altered COMT expression in the parents of male children. Additionally, the nature of the ACE (maltreatment vs. household dysfunction) was associated with the specific epigenetic changes. There may be different pathways through which parental ACEs confer risk for poor outcomes for males and females, highlighting the importance of child gender in future investigations.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences, Intimate Partner Violence, and Communication Quality in a College-Aged Sample

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x211030928 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2110309

Author(s):

Stephanie L. Baller ◽

Kelby Lewis

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Communication Quality ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adult Men ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Relationship Communication

Previous adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) research focused on the future effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adult men, as well as victimization patterns. Continuing evidence is needed informing how ACEs, communication, and IPV may emerge within the intimate partnerships of 18–24 year olds. The present study addresses a literature gap by investigating ACEs in relation to relationship communication quality and IPV, considering not only victimization but also perpetration. An online survey was distributed through social media outlets targeting college-aged adults ( n = 228). Men were more likely to perpetrate and be victimized by IPV than women in the sample. However, both sexes had moderate associations between ACES and victimization as well as perpetration of physical, emotional, sexual, and cyber abuse. Poor communication quality was associated with ACEs and most forms of abuse experienced in the last year. Continued investigation of this topic is warranted to understand mechanisms for effective treatment and skill development.

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Mentalization and Dissociation after Adverse Childhood Experiences

10.21203/rs.3.rs-907657/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jolana Wagner-Skacel ◽

David Riedl ◽

Hanna Kampling ◽

Astrid Lampe

Keyword(s):

Indirect Effect ◽

Early Treatment ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Brief Symptom Inventory ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Explained Variance ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: Impairment of mentalization may impact coping strategies, regulation of affect and stress. So far, little is known about the influence of impaired mentalization on dissociation in patients with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between ACEs, mentalizing and dissociation in adult individuals. Methods: Sixty-seven patients with ACEs completed the Mentalization Questionnaire (MZQ), the Essener Trauma Inventory (ETI) and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). The SPSS PROCESS macro tool was applied to test if mentalization mediated the relationship of ACEs and dissociation. Results: ACEs were significantly associated with higher dissociation (β=.42, p<.001) and lower mentalization (β=-.49, p<.001). When mentalization was added to the model as a predictor, the association of ACEs with dissociation was no longer significant (β=.11, p=.31) and a statistically significant indirect effect was found (β=.32, 95% CI: .16-.47). The overall explained variance of dissociation notably improved after inclusion of mentalization (17.5% to 49.1%). Thus, the results indicated that the association of ACEs on dissociation was fully mediated by mentalization. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ACEs are associated with lower mentalization and higher dissociation. Lower mentalization was also associated with worse depression, anxiety, somatization and PTSD symptoms. These findings underline the increasing importance of early treatment of individuals affected by ACDs with a focus to foster the development of mentalization.

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