scholarly journals Adverse Childhood Experiences and worsened social relationships in adult life among Polish medical and dental students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 119-133
Author(s):  
Paulina Drożak ◽  
Piotr Duda ◽  
Katarzyna Augustowska ◽  
Martyna Drożak ◽  
Łukasz Bryliński ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
Medical And Dental Students

Introduction and purpose. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events experienced before the age of 18 that have lasting negative effects on physical and mental health. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences increases the probability of chronic health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma, depression or PTSD. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences among medical and dental students of Polish Medical Universities and to examine an association between ACEs and chosen factors associated with social relationships of the students.Material and method. A total of 1162 medical and dental students from each year of education and 18 different Polish universities took part in the study. The research tool contained the Adverse Childhood Experiences standardized questionnaire and authors’ questions.Results. More than a half of the students (57.4%) had at least 1 exposure to ACEs. 8.43% of them experienced 4 or more childhood adversities. The most commonly reported ACEs were: emotional neglect (23.06%), emotional abuse (22.98%) and mental illness or a suicide attempt in a household member (21.86%). An overall graded relationship was found between ACE score and: parents’ lower level of education, negative relationship with parents, siblings and friends and having a diagnosis of depression.Conclusions. Adverse Childhood Experiences are common among Polish medical and dental students and are associated with worsened social relationships and depression in adult life of the students. It is important to implement strategies that aim to prevent ACEs and help to build social support networks for those that are affected by them.

scholarly journals Adverse Childhood Experiences as a significant predictor of worsened well-being among Polish medical and dental students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 175-184
Author(s):  
Paulina Drożak ◽  
Katarzyna Augustowska ◽  
Łukasz Bryliński ◽  
Agata Bura ◽  
Martyna Drożak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
Medical And Dental Students

Introduction and purpose. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a major public health problem. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences among medical and dental students in Poland and to examine a relationship between ACEs and chosen factors associated with well-being of the students.Material and method. The research tool consisted of the Adverse Childhood Experiences standardized questionnaire and authors’ questions. 934 medical students and 228 dental students took part in the study (a total of 1162 participants). The respondents came from 18 Polish universities.Results. 57.40% of the students experienced at least 1 childhood adversity, 8.43% of them were affected by 4 or more ACEs. The most common adverse childhood experiences were: emotional neglect (23.06%), emotional abuse (22.98%) and mental illness or a suicide attempt in a household member (21.86%). On average, women experienced more childhood adversities than men. An overall graded relationship was found between ACEs and: frequent feelings of loneliness, low self-assessment of academic performance, problems with maintaining stable body weight, reaching for alcohol in order to de-stress and being non-religious.Conclusions. Adverse Childhood Experiences are common among Polish medical and dental students and are linked with multiple aspects of worsened well-being of the students. The study emphasizes a need to create strategies that aim to educate on Adverse Childhood Experiences in order to prevent them and help those who are affected by them.

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

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.

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

Hypertension ◽  
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.

scholarly journals ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES REPORTED BY CUSTODIAL GRANDMOTHERS AND THEIR ADOLESCENT GRANDCHILDREN

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S283-S283
Author(s):  
Gregory C Smith ◽  
Frank J Infurna ◽  
Britney A Webster ◽  
Megan L Dolbin-MacNab ◽  
Max Crowley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Verbal Abuse ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Problems ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Standardized Measures ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
Custodial Grandmothers ◽  
Loss Of A Parent

Abstract The Risky Family Model postulates that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are likely to be encountered across generations within custodial grandfamilies which, in turn, may adversely impact their overall well-being. The present study is a pioneering attempt to examine the patterns of ACEs self-reported by custodial grandmothers (CGM) and adolescent grandchildren (AGC) from the same families, and how their total ACE scores correlate with key physical and mental health outcomes. A total of 129 CGM-ACG dyads recruited for a nationwide RCT study completed separately at baseline the 10-item ACE-CDC and 4 items from the ACE-IQ, as well as various standardized measures of physical and emotional well-being. The most frequent ACEs reported by AGC were loss of a parent (60.5%), verbal abuse (58.1%), bullying by peers (46.5%), and living with someone jailed (45.0%). The predominant ACEs for CGM were bullying by peers (48.8%), verbal abuse (48.1%), living with a mentally ill person (34.1%), being touched sexually (29.5%), and loss of parent (29.5%). Only 10.1% of ACG and 15.5% of CGM reported 0 ACEs, whereas 65.1 % of ACG and 59% of CGM reported > 3 ACEs. For ACG, total ACE scores correlated significantly with externalizing (r=.32) and internalizing (r=.30) difficulties, self-esteem (r= -.28), loneliness (r=.27), school problems (r=.24), and physical health (r= -.26). For CGMs, anxiety (r=.23) and depression (r=.19) only were correlated significantly with total ACEs. We conclude that although both CGM and ACG reported alarmingly high levels of ACEs, different patterns and correlates exist between the generations. [Funded by R01AG054571]

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

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (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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