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Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to a host of deleterious physical and mental health outcomes. The ACE–International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) was developed to assess categories of ACEs (e.g., sexual, emotional, and physical abuse) in internationally representative samples. Though the ACE-IQ has been used world-wide, little work has examined the structure of this measure. Further, much of the modeling techniques implemented lacked theoretical rationale. The present work used two principal components analyses (PCA) to evaluate the ACE-IQ structure using both the identified ACE categories as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and using the ACE-IQ items as individual indicators. Using the WHO method, a two-component structure was indicated. Alternatively, a PCA of the individual items yielded a six-component structure. Results highlight the importance of theoretically grounded measure evaluation and the potential distinctions amongst types of ACEs. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.

Home-based parenting programs designed to prevent child abuse and neglect have become wide-spread with efforts to reach families of young children at risk. Rural and urban communities likely differ in strategies to access and recruit families. This study examined rural and urban community differences from a sample of over 1,300 parents referred for home-based parenting services designed to prevent child abuse and neglect. Rural families were much more likely to be self-referred (35%), compared to urban families (7.5%). Urban families were more likely to be referred by health/medical agencies (35.4%) and basic needs support programs (26.1%), than rural families (16.7% and 5.2%), respectively. After controlling for demographic factors, referral sources of self and child welfare did not predict enrollment or completion. However, both rural and urban families were almost 21 times more likely to complete the child abuse prevention program if they were provided referrals to outside goods and services while participating in the child abuse prevention program (odds ratio = 20.85; 95% confidence interval [12.98, 35.01]; p < .001). Implications for recruitment and engagement of families in home-based child abuse prevention programs are discussed.

Limited research has examined a comprehensive set of predictors when evaluating discharge placement decisions for infants exposed to substances prenatally. Using a previously validated medical record data extraction tool, the current study examined prenatal substance exposure, infant intervention (i.e., pharmacologic, or non-pharmacologic), and demographic factors (e.g., race and ethnicity and rurality) as predictors of associations with discharge placement in a sample from a resource-poor state ( N = 136; 69.9% Non-Hispanic White). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to examine whether different classes emerged and how classes were differentially related to discharge placement decisions. Logistic regressions were used to determine whether each predictor was uniquely associated with placement decisions. Results of the LCA yielded a two-class solution comprised of (1) a Low Withdrawal Risk class, characterized by prenatal exposure to substances with low risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and non-pharmacologic intervention, and (2) a High Withdrawal Risk class, characterized by a high risk of NAS and pharmacologic intervention. Classes were not related to discharge placement decisions. Logistic regressions demonstrated that meth/amphetamine use during pregnancy was associated with greater odds of out of home placement above other substance types. Future research should replicate and continue examining the clinical utility of these classes.

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