Adverse Childhood Experiences and Physical and Mental Health of Adults: Assessing the Mediating Role of Cumulative Life Course Poverty

Abstract

Objectives: Research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a host of negative health outcomes in adulthood. However, most existing studies focused on traumatic ACEs and used samples collected from a specific geographic unit (e.g., region, city, or state). This study examines the association between non-traumatic ACEs and health outcomes (i.e., self-rated health and psychological well-being) in adulthood, and assesses the extent to which the cumulative life course poverty accounts for these associations between ACEs and health. Data Source: Public and de-identified data from Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) (1968-2013) and its Childhood Retrospective Circumstances Study (CRCS) (2014) ( N = 7,126) were used. Episode and severity of childhood adversities of respondents were determined by using comprehensive retrospective circumstance measures. Methods: Multivariate regression models were used to analyze the associations between ACEs and adult health. Mediation analysis was employed to assess the extent to which the associations were explained by cumulative life course poverty. Data analysis was carried out in 2019 using STATA 15. Results: We found that episode and severity of ACEs were associated with increased risk of poor health and psychological distress. Compared to individuals with no ACEs, one unit increase in the ACE index is associated with 8 and 18 percent increase in the risk of poor health and psychological distress, respectively. A small proportion (4%) of the impact of early adversities on health is attributable to the proportion of adult lifetime spent in poverty. Conclusions: Non-traumatic ACEs are associated with increased risk for poor health and psychological distress. Life course cumulative experience in poverty accounts for a small portion of the associations. Providing support to prevent ACEs may have long-term health benefits.

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Piloting a Group Therapy Program Using Psychoeducation, Music Therapy, and the Creative Arts for Adults with Complex Concurrent Disorders in an Inpatient Setting

“…Clients repeatedly say that this group fills a gap in their recovery and augments messaging from other programs. The vast majority of clients say that this is the first time they have self-disclosed about past painful experiences.This group supports and intersects with other programs offered at the facility, such as Women Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for mobility, homelessness, and unemployment [2,[25][26][27][28]. Guarnaccia et al [29] similarly report that 32 male subjects with substance addiction experienced a more significant number of ACEs than their nonclinical controls (p < 0.05).…”

Contextual risk and psychosocial profiles of opioid-using mothers: A mixed-methods study

“…16 Research suggests that growing up in poverty and in neighborhoods low on resources has lifelong implications, including poorer physical and mental health, substance misuse, and depression in adulthood. [22][23][24] Not only do many residents of Appalachia experience poverty during their childhood, but there is also a lack of professional opportunities within the region. 25,26 Commonly, employment offers in the region are temporary, part-time, lowpaying, and do not cater to those who have children.…”