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

BMJ Open ◽  
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.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Direct Support Professionals

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-132 ◽  
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.

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

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.

scholarly journals Can Adverse Childhood Experiences Heighten Risk for Problematic Internet and Smartphone Use? Findings from a College Sample

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5978
Author(s):  
Myriam Forster ◽  
Christopher J. Rogers ◽  
Steven Sussman ◽  
Jonathan Watts ◽  
Tahsin Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
Smartphone Use

Background: College students are among the heaviest users of smartphones and the Internet, and there is growing concern regarding problematic Internet (PIU) and smartphone use (PSU). A subset of adverse childhood experiences, household dysfunction [(HHD) e.g.; parental substance use, mental illness, incarceration, suicide, intimate partner violence, separation/divorce, homelessness], are robust predictors of behavioral disorders; however, few studies have investigated the link between HHD and PIU and PSU and potential protective factors, such as social support, among students. Methods: Data are from a diverse California student sample (N = 1027). The Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version and Internet Addiction Test assessed dimensions of addiction. Regression models tested associations between students’ level of HHD (No HHD, 1–3 HHD, ≥4 HHD) and PSU and PIU, and the role of extrafamilial social support in these relationships, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, SES, employment loss due to COVID-19, and depression. Results: Compared to students reporting no HHD, students with ≥4 HHD had twice the odds (AOR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.21–3.40) of meeting criteria for PSU, while students with 1–3 HHD and ≥4 HHD had three and six times the odds of moderate to severe PIU (AORs: 2.03–2.46, CI:1.21–3.96) after adjusting for covariates. Extrafamilial social support was inversely associated with PIU and moderated the HHD–PSU association for students with 1–3 HHD. Conclusion: Students exposed to HHD may be especially vulnerable to developing behavioral addictions such as PSU and PIU. Extrafamilial social support offset the negative effects of HHD for PSU among the moderate risk group; implications for prevention efforts are discussed.

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

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.

scholarly journals Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mindfulness in Chinese College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chienchung Huang ◽  
Meifen Yang ◽  
Yun Geng ◽  
Yafan Chen ◽  
Shannon P. Cheung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Adverse Childhood

Mindfulness has been found to have many positive effects on life outcomes, including mental health and educational achievement. However, less is known about the antecedents of mindfulness, particularly in Chinese college students. This study examines the effect of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on mindfulness among Chinese college students in September 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that ACEs negatively affected students' mindfulness. The data were collected from 1,871 college students from 12 colleges across China. The results aligned with our hypothesis that ACEs was negatively associated with mindfulness. In particular, emotional abuse and neglect in childhood appear to have the most negative effects on mindfulness compared to other dimensions of ACEs such as physical abuse and household challenges.

Adverse childhood experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
Katie Scott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Criminal Behaviour ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Adverse Childhood Events ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are events during childhood that are stressful and may impact upon mental and physical health having effects in childhood and future adulthood. Examples of ACEs include abuse (physical, emotional, sexual); neglect; living in a household with domestic violence, substance or alcohol misuse, or criminal behaviour; or living with a caregiver with mental illness. A history of ACEs is not routinely sought in UK healthcare. As a result opportunities to prevent and modify the negative effects of adverse childhood events are missed.

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