Assessing adverse childhood experiences, social, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, and subjective health complaints among Hungarian adolescents

Abstract

Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have lifelong adverse impacts; they can play a role in the development of subsequent emotional, cognitive, and social impairments leading to somatic and mental difficulties, as well as health damaging behaviours. Unfortunately, there are currently no research data available in Hungary regarding the frequency of ACEs among adolescents. Aims A cross sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in a community sample of Hungarian adolescents to assess the frequency of ACEs and analyse their association with current social, emotional, and behavioural symptoms (SEB), and subjective health complaints (SHC). Methods Demographic data, ACEs, SEB and SHC status of 516 adolescents aged 12 to 17 were collected. ACEs were assessed using the ACE Score Calculator; for SEB the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and for SHC some specific items from the Health Behaviour of School Children questionnaire were employed. To analyse the relationship of ACEs to SEB and SHC logistic regression was performed. Results Our results showed that the frequency of ACEs, SEB and SHC is high among adolescents. One-fourth of the students reported ≥ 2 categories of childhood exposures, and 7.4% reported having experienced ≥ 4 types of ACEs. The most prevalent forms of child maltreatment were emotional neglect (15.5%) and emotional abuse (14.5%). The most frequent dysfunctional household condition was parental divorce or separation (23.8%), followed by household substance abuse (8.9%) and household mental illness (8.1%). Almost one-fifth of students (17.5%) reported SEB symptoms (peer relationship problems in 21.7%, emotional symptoms in 14.6%, conduct problems in 18.3%, hyperactivity in 15%). The prevalence of SHC was also high: more than half of the students experienced at least one subjective health complaint multiple times a week. Significant associations were found between ACEs and the SEB/SHC reported by students. Conclusions Adverse childhood experiences, social, emotional, and behavioural symptoms, and SHC are common among Hungarian adolescents. The cumulation of ACEs is associated with a higher number of SEB and SHC symptoms. Therefore, prevention programmes, early recognition, risk reduction, and therapy are needed.

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

“…A relationship between female gender and increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences was a subject of numerous studies. Similar conclusions were obtained by Andrés F. Sciolla et al whose research concerned 86 medical students of one medical school on the West Coast of the USA and Beáta Kovács-Tóth et al studying a population of 516 Hungarian teenagers aged 12-17 [10,14].…”

“…Our study showed that women had a statistically significant higher chance than men of experiencing psychological abuse, sexual abuse and emotional neglect. The available literature provides similar conclusions [10,14,15]. Moreover, the research conducted by Andrés F. Sciolla et al showed a correlation between female gender and higher exposure to physical abuse [10].…”

Evaluation of Temporomandibular Disorder and Oral Health Quality of Life in Adolescents With Parents’ Divorce Applying to the Orthodontic Clinic

“…10 All sorts of physical, emotional, or sexual negative and traumatic experiences occurring in the family before the age of 18 years such as domestic violence, divorce, and separation give rise to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). 17 The major reasons are economic challenges, family conflicts, parents with alcohol or drug addiction, negative family circumstances, and parents' divorce or loss. 18 Considering that almost one in every two adults has an adverse childhood experience, this situation has an unignorable dimension.…”

“…18 Considering that almost one in every two adults has an adverse childhood experience, this situation has an unignorable dimension. 17 Parents' divorce or separation was reported as the second most common ACE. 19 Divorce rate had significant growth in several countries in the past five decades.…”

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subjective Cognitive Decline in the US

“…They are also associated with negative behavioral outcomes such as increased health care utilization (Alcalá et al, 2018), earlier age at sexual debut (Brown, Masho, et al, 2015), HIV risk behavior (Fang et al, 2016; VanderEnde et al, 2018), and intimate partner violence victimization (Thulin et al, 2021) and perpetration (Brown, Masho, et al, 2015). In addition, ACEs have been positively associated with subjective health complaints (Kovács-Tóth et al, 2021) and negatively associated with subjective well-being (Kelifa et al, 2021).…”