Protective Factors for Decreasing Nicotine, Alcohol, and Cannabis Use Among Adolescents with a History of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Abstract

Adolescents who have experienced adversity have an increased likelihood of using substances. This study examined if individual-, family-, school-, and community-level protective factors were associated with a decreased likelihood of substance use. Data from the Well-Being and Experiences Study (the WE Study) collected from 2017 to 2018 were used. The sample was adolescents aged 14 to 17 years (N = 1002) from Manitoba, Canada. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. The prevalence of past 30-day substance use was 20.5% among boys and 29.2% among girls. Substance use was greater among adolescent girls compared to boys. Protective factors associated with an increased likelihood of not using substances included knowing culture or language, being excited for the future, picturing the future, sleeping 8 to 10 h per night (unadjusted models only), participating in non-sport activity organized by the school, having a trusted adult in the family, frequent hugs from parent, parent saying “I love you” (unadjusted models only), eating dinner together every day, mother and father understanding adolescent’s worries and problems, being able to confide in mother and father, feeling close to other students at school, having a trusted adult at school, feeling a part of school, having a trusted adult in the community (unadjusted models only), volunteering once a week or more, and feeling motivated to help and improve one’s community. Knowledge of protective factors related to decreased odds of substance use may help inform strategies for preventing substance use and ways to foster resilience among adolescents.

The Influence of Childhood Trauma and Family Functioning on Internet Addiction in Adolescents: A Chain-Mediated Model Analysis

“…The causes of adolescent IA are widespread and complex [ 2 , 25 ]. Among various intrapersonal factors, an individual’s childhood traumatic experience is the highest risk factor for adolescent IA [ 26 ]. Childhood trauma is a global phenomenon [ 27 , 28 ], and can cause serious psychological damage to an individual, leading to anxiety, depression, and other emotional and addictive behaviors [ 21 , 29 , 30 ].…”

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Education Outcomes among Adolescents: Linking Survey and Administrative Data

“…This may include assessing protective factors in the educational context such as the quality of the student–teacher relationship, students’ sense of belonging and connection to the school community and environment, and other important protective factors such as the quality of the parent–child relationship and children’s secure attachment to their caregivers. Previous research has found these factors to reduce risk among adolescents with an ACE history in other important domains (i.e., substance use), and they may also be important in fostering better education outcomes [ 28 ]. Moreover, the identification of protective factors may assist in the development of school-based interventions for children and adolescents with a history of childhood adversity that may be at risk for academic challenges in similar geographical contexts and social locations.…”

“…Data for this study are from the Well-being and Experiences (WE) Study, an intergenerational and longitudinal cohort study of parent–adolescent dyads from Winnipeg, Manitoba, a mid-sized Canadian city, and surrounding communities. A detailed description of the WE Study recruitment methods and study design has been published previously [ 24 , 27 , 28 ]; however, in brief, the sampling design used random-digit dialling (21%) and convenience sampling (79%), including referrals and community advertising. No differences were found for several variables between groups based on recruitment methods (e.g., household income, ACEs).…”

“…No differences were found for several variables between groups based on recruitment methods (e.g., household income, ACEs). The Forward Sortation Area from postal codes was used to ensure that the sample was a close approximation of Winnipeg, Manitoba [ 24 , 27 , 28 ]. During Wave 1 of the study, we recruited 1002 adolescents aged 14–17 years and one of their parents to participate.…”

“…Similarly, a confirmatory factor analysis of the original ACE study data from the United States found that spanking loaded onto the child maltreatment factor and explained additional variance related to mental health impairment outcomes including substance misuse and suicidality [ 25 ]. Building on this knowledge, ACE research has moved beyond a reliance on the original 10 ACE items and has expanded to include childhood experiences of spanking/physical punishment, bullying/peer victimization, involvement with the child welfare system, parental gambling, perceived neighbourhood safety, and poverty [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Including this expanded list of theoretically and empirically derived ACEs provides the opportunity to assess a broader range of collective adverse experiences on education outcomes in a Canadian context, which has not been examined in the literature previously.…”