Early socioeconomic circumstances and adverse childhood experiences in 10-year-old children

Abstract Background Evidence showed that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with the development of disease later in life and premature death. Examining the occurrence of these experiences at early ages would contribute to intervene and therefore to reduce health inequalities. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ACEs among 10-year-children and to examine its association with early socioeconomic circumstances. Methods At the fourth wave of the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI, from Porto, Portugal, 5153 children completed a self-report questionnaire on 9 experiences related to household dysfunction and physical and emotional abuse. Socioeconomic circumstances included household income, maternal and paternal education, and history of parental unemployment. Logistic regression was performed to calculate the Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI). Results A high prevalence of physical and emotional abuse was reported by children from low socioeconomic circumstances. A graded relationship between socioeconomic circumstances and cumulative ACEs was observed, for instance, low household income was associated with increased number of ACEs (one event [OR = 1.10; 95%CI: 0.89-1.36], two events [OR = 1.41; 95%CI: 1.15-1.73], three events [OR = 1.67; 95%CI: 1.34-2.06], and four or more events [OR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.64-2.55]). Also, living with one parent or none of them increased the likelihood of reporting multiple ACEs (OR = 5.50; 95%CI: 4.23-7.13). Conclusions Children from low socioeconomic circumstances were more likely to report multiple adverse experiences in the first decade of life. These findings support that children from less advantaged environments might be at a higher risk of co-occurrence of adverse experiences during their childhood. Key messages Prevalence of ACEs is high among 10-year-old children and is associated with low socioeconomic circumstances. Social inequalities in children should be prioritized by public health policy.

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Adverse childhood experiences leads to perceived negative attitude of others and the effect of adverse childhood experiences on depression in adulthood is mediated via negative attitude of others

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.06.011 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 27-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Raimo K.R. Salokangas ◽

Tiina From ◽

Sinikka Luutonen ◽

Jarmo Hietala

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

Self Report ◽

Mediation Effect ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Physical Neglect ◽

Distress Scale

AbstractBackground:The attachment theory suggests that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have an effect on how individuals perceive other people's attitude towards them. ACEs have also been associated with adult depression. We hypothesised that ACEs associate with perceived negative attitude of others (AoO) and depressive symptoms (DEPS), and that these associations differ between the genders.Methods:Altogether, 692 participants drawn from the general population completed the Trauma and Distress Scale, as a measurement of ACE and its domains: emotional abuse (EmoAb), physical abuse (PhyAb), sexual abuse (SexAb), emotional neglect (EmoNeg) and physical neglect (PhyNeg); a visual analog scale with the question: “What kind of attitude do other people take towards you?”, and the self-report scale DEPS on depressive symptoms.Results:ACEs, AoO and DEPS correlated strongly with each other. In path analyses, ACE total and all its domains associated directly and indirectly, via DEPS, to negative AoO in the whole sample, and in females separately. ACE total, EmoAb, PhyAb, EmoNeg and PhyNeg associated directly and indirectly, via AoO, to DEPS in the whole sample and in both genders separately. EmoNeg, in all, and EmoAB, in males, had specific associations both with negative AoO and DEPS. Mediation effect via AoO was greater than via DEPS.Conclusions:ACEs have a direct and indirect, via depression, negative effect on how adult individuals perceive other people's attitude towards themselves. Additionally, negative AoO mediates the effects of ACEs on depression. Childhood EmoNeg associates specifically with negative AoO and DEPS in adulthood.

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The Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Sleep Problems among Adolescent Students: Mediation by Depression or Anxiety

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010236 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 236

Author(s):

E-Jin Park ◽

Shin-Young Kim ◽

Yeeun Kim ◽

Dajung Sung ◽

Bora Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Short Form ◽

Community Sample ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Self Report ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The Relationship

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to be closely related to depression, anxiety and sleep problems. However, it remains unclear whether adolescents with ACEs have sleep problems regardless of depression or anxiety or under a mediating effect from depression or anxiety. Therefore, our aim was to examine whether depression or anxiety mediates the relationship between ACEs and sleep problems in adolescents by using a community sample. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report–Short Form (ETISR-SF) and List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire (LTE-Q) were used to assess traumatic ACEs. Ultimately, data from 737 students (M = 448, F = 289, 15.1 ± 1.4 years old) were included in the statistical analysis. A total of 576 (78.1%) participants reported that they had experienced one or more ACEs. Adolescents with ACEs had higher levels of depression, anxiety and sleep problems than did adolescents without ACEs, and boys tended to experience more trauma than girls. Depression and anxiety partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and sleep problems. The results of this study suggest the need for depression and anxiety interventions for adolescents with ACEs to reduce the long-term consequences, including sleep problems and physical health problems.

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Adverse childhood experiences, daytime salivary cortisol, and depressive symptoms in early adulthood: a longitudinal genetically informed twin study

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-021-01538-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eleonora Iob ◽

Jessie R. Baldwin ◽

Robert Plomin ◽

Andrew Steptoe

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Salivary Cortisol ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Cumulative Exposure ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Cortisol Levels

AbstractDysregulated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis function might underlie the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression. However, limited research has examined the possible mediating role of the HPA-axis among young people using longitudinal data. Moreover, it remains unclear whether genetic influences could contribute to these associations. Participants were 290 children from the Twins Early Development Study. ACEs were assessed from age 3–11 years. We calculated a cumulative risk score and also derived different ACEs clusters using factor analysis and latent class analysis. HPA-axis activity was indexed by daytime salivary cortisol at age 11. Depressive symptoms were ascertained at age 21. Genetic liability to altered cortisol levels and elevated depressive symptoms was measured using a twin-based method. We performed causal mediation analysis with mixed-effects regression models. The results showed that ACEs cumulative exposure (b = −0.20, p = 0.03), bullying (b = −0.61, p = 0.01), and emotional abuse (b = −0.84, p = 0.02) were associated with lower cortisol levels at age 11. Among participants exposed to multiple ACEs, lower cortisol was related to higher depressive symptoms at age 21 (b = −0.56, p = 0.05). Lower cortisol levels mediated around 10–20% of the total associations of ACEs cumulative exposure, bullying, and dysfunctional parenting/emotional abuse with higher depressive symptoms. Genetic factors contributed to these associations, but the mediation effects of cortisol in the associations of ACEs cumulative exposure (b = 0.16 [0.02–0.34]) and bullying (b = 0.18 [0.01–0.43]) remained when genetic confounding was accounted for. In conclusion, ACEs were linked to elevated depressive symptoms in early adulthood partly through lower cortisol levels in early adolescence, and these relationships were independent of genetic confounding.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences and Frequent Headache by Adolescent Self-Report

Pediatric Neurology ◽

10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2021.04.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marissa Anto ◽

Sara Jaffee ◽

Gretchen Tietjen ◽

Adys Mendizibal ◽

Christina Szperka

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Self Report ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

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Abstract 30: Role For Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depression In Preeclampsia

Hypertension ◽

10.1161/hyp.78.suppl_1.30 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Monica C Myers ◽

Mark K Santillan ◽

Debra S Brandt ◽

Amy K Stroud ◽

Julie A Vignato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postpartum Depression ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Late Pregnancy ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Patient Health

Hypertensive diseases are associated with adverse experiences in childhood as well as depression. In order to determine if these associations were present in women with preeclampsia (PreE), a particularly devastating hypertensive disease in pregnancy, the scores from three questionnaires: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were compared between women with PreE (n=32) and women without PreE (n=46) between 9 and 48 months postpartum (IRB# 201808705). ACE scores are calculated by summing an individual’s affirmative responses to specific adverse experiences during childhood. In our study, the average ACE score of individuals with PreE was higher than that of women without PreE (1.69 vs. 1.02, P=.04). We also divided women into groups based on whether their ACE score was ≤3 or ≥4 due to evidence that individuals who have experienced ≥4 ACEs are at greatest risk for physical and mental health conditions. Among our participants, 80% of women with an ACE score ≥4 (n=10) had PreE while only 35.3% of women with a score ≤3 (n=68) developed the condition (P=0.01). As well, the odds of having PreE were higher in those with ACE scores ≥4, compared with those with scores ≤3 (OR= 7.34; 95% CI = 1.44, 37.33). In a subset of participants, scores were available from EPDS, survey that identifies women who have postpartum depression 6 weeks after birth, and from the PHQ-9, another assessment for depression. Among our participants, the average EPDS score was higher in women with PreE than women without PreE (6.38, n=21 vs. 3.71, n=42 P=0.01), indicating more severe symptoms of postpartum depression in women who also had PreE. In addition, the average PHQ-9 score among women with PreE was higher than that of women without PreE (3.71, n=15 vs 1.86, n=37 P=.02) with a higher score indicating more severe depression. The average PHQ-9 score was also higher in women who had ACE scores ≥4 than women with scores ≤3 (4.00, n=4 vs. 2.27, n=48 P=.01) indicating that women with more adverse childhood events were more likely to experience depression. Together, these findings indicate that PreE may be associated with adverse events during childhood as well as depression in late pregnancy and/or postpartum.

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Adverse childhood experiences and their relationship to gender and depression among young adults in Iraq: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-019-7957-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ameel F. Al Shawi ◽

Yassen T. Sarhan ◽

Mahasin A. Altaha

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Physical Abuse ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Emotional Neglect ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Physical Neglect

Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are considered as universal public health problem that associate with mental disorders and risky behaviors during adulthood. The aims of the paper are to estimate the prevalence of Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among young adults in Iraq as well as to estimate the association between ACEs and depression. Methods A convenience sample of young adults of 18–20 years was chosen from centre and west of Iraq, mainly from universities. The adverse childhood experiences were measured by Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire. A depression scale was derived from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS). Statistical tests: chi square was used to measure the association between adverse childhood experiences and other variables like gender and depression. Odds ratios were computed to estimate the risk for depression. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The total number of participants was 401, 38.9% of the subjects were men, while 61.1% were women. The mean age of the participants was 18.88 ± 0.745. The results revealed that the most common forms of ACEs among the subjects were physical neglect (19.8%) and emotional neglect (19.2%) followed by physical abuse (17.21%) while sexual abuse was 7.52%. There was statistically significant association between most forms of adverse childhood experiences especially emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse and physical neglect with depression. Conclusion ACEs are not uncommon among young adults in Iraq and are associated with depression in adulthood. National programmes to support mental health rehabilitation might be necessary to reduce the effect of ACEs among Iraqi people, especially for adolescents and young adults.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences and School-Based Victimization and Perpetration

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260517689885 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (3-4) ◽

pp. 662-681 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Myriam Forster ◽

Amy L. Gower ◽

Barbara J. McMorris ◽

Iris W. Borowsky

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

School Violence ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Regression Models ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Self Report ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

School Based ◽

Adverse Childhood

Retrospective studies using adult self-report data have demonstrated that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase risk of violence perpetration and victimization. However, research examining the associations between adolescent reports of ACE and school violence involvement is sparse. The present study examines the relationship between adolescent reported ACE and multiple types of on-campus violence (bringing a weapon to campus, being threatened with a weapon, bullying, fighting, vandalism) for boys and girls as well as the risk of membership in victim, perpetrator, and victim–perpetrator groups. The analytic sample was comprised of ninth graders who participated in the 2013 Minnesota Student Survey ( n ~ 37,000). Multinomial logistic regression models calculated the risk of membership for victim only, perpetrator only, and victim–perpetrator subgroups, relative to no violence involvement, for students with ACE as compared with those with no ACE. Separate logistic regression models assessed the association between cumulative ACE and school-based violence, adjusting for age, ethnicity, family structure, poverty status, internalizing symptoms, and school district size. Nearly 30% of students were exposed to at least one ACE. Students with ACE represent 19% of no violence, 38% of victim only, 40% of perpetrator only, and 63% of victim–perpetrator groups. There was a strong, graded relationship between ACE and the probability of school-based victimization: physical bullying for boys but not girls, being threatened with a weapon, and theft or property destruction ( ps < .001) and perpetration: bullying and bringing a weapon to campus ( ps < .001), with boys especially vulnerable to the negative effects of cumulative ACE. We recommend that schools systematically screen for ACE, particularly among younger adolescents involved in victimization and perpetration, and develop the infrastructure to increase access to trauma-informed intervention services. Future research priorities and implications are discussed.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Direct Support Professionals

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1934-9556-56.2.119 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 119-132 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

John M. Keesler

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Online Survey ◽

Adult Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Work Related ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Direct Support ◽

Direct Support Professionals

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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The interaction of adverse childhood experiences and gender as risk factors for depression and anxiety disorders in US adults: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12058-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Robert C. Whitaker ◽

Tracy Dearth-Wesley ◽

Allison N. Herman ◽

Amy E. Block ◽

Mary Howard Holderness ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Short Form ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood

Abstract Background Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and being female are distinct risk factors for having a major depressive episode (MDE) or an anxiety disorder (AD) in adulthood, but it is unclear whether these two risk factors are synergistic. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to ACEs and being female are more than additive (synergistic) in their association with MDE and AD in US adults. Methods We pooled cross-sectional survey data in the Midlife in the United States study from two nationally-representative cohorts of English-speaking US adults. Data from the first cohort were collected in 2004–2006 and from the second in 2011–2014. Data from both cohorts included the 12-month prevalence of MDE and AD (generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder) assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form, gender (here termed female and male), and the count of five categories of exposure to ACEs: physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; household alcohol or substance abuse; and parental separation or divorce. Results Of the 5834 survey respondents, 4344 (74.5%) with complete data on ACEs were included in the analysis. Mean (SD) age was 54.1 (13.8) years and 53.9% were female. The prevalences of MDE, AD, and exposure to 3–5 categories of ACEs were 13.7, 10.0, and 12.5%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates (age, race, and current and childhood socioeconomic disadvantage), for those with both risk factors (female and 3–5 ACEs) the prevalence of MDE was 26.9%. This was 10.2% (95% CI: 1.8, 18.5%) higher than the expected prevalence based on the additive associations of the two risk factors. The adjusted prevalence of AD among females with 3–5 ACEs was 21.9%, which was 11.4% (95% CI: 4.0, 18.9%) higher than the expected prevalence. Conclusions For both MDE and AD, there was synergy between the two risk factors of exposure to ACEs and being female. Identification and treatment of MDE and AD may benefit from understanding the mechanisms involved in the synergistic interaction of gender with ACEs.

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Counseling Techniques Supporting West African Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Systematic Review

Frontiers in Sociology ◽

10.3389/fsoc.2021.573115 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Author(s):

Shanelle V. Clay ◽

Cheria Jackson ◽

Quincy Stephenson

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Expressive Arts ◽

West African ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

African Children ◽

Adverse Experiences ◽

Online Databases ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Vantage Points

Using a meta-synthesis approach, through the review of current literature, five published and peer reviewed qualitative research reports were studied. The intention was to identify interventions being used with West African children who have endured adverse childhood experiences. These results were found through matching inclusionary criteria and all studies were screened for appropriateness and relevance to the topic matter. The literature was analyzed across five online databases including Proquest, PsychInfo, Scopus, Wiley, and Springer from January 2005 to June 2020. The authors found minimal evidence indicating interventions used in West Africa for adverse experiences related specifically to children, but found themes related to interventions that serve West African families that include children. Findings were thematically analyzed through meta-synthesis and identified four themes used in the interventions, which include western, spiritual, expressive arts, and cultural approaches. West African children endure adverse experiences such as terrorism, abuse, and war violence that contribute to an increasing the need for mental health interventions. These experiences approached from western, spiritual, expressive arts, and cultural vantage points were identified but limited in information about delivery and efficacy, thus providing little guidance regarding further exploratory research.

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