[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site — abuseresearch.info — that focuses on the health effects of abuse, and includes research articles on ACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs. So many research papers were published over the last month that we're dividing Research Corner into two parts. Thank you, Harise!! -- Jane Stevens]
Childhood Obesity
Schiff M, Helton J, Fu J.
Adverse childhood experiences and obesity over time. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Apr 26:1-13. PMID: 33896440
From a national survey, increasing ACEs were associated with greater odds of obesity during childhood, as were specific ACEs, such as physical and psychological neglect in girls. “Findings support evidence for the importance of using both a count measure of ACE as well as separating out single events by gender.”
Kyler KE, Hall M, Halvorson EE, Davis AM.
Associations between Obesity and Adverse Childhood Experiences in the United States. Child Obes. 2021 Jul;17(5):342-348. PMID: 33877887
National data from almost 30 million US children aged 10-17 years showed that 15% were obese. Children with obesity were more likely to have any ACEs and to have 4+ ACEs.
Adult Manifestations of Child Abuse
Hu Z, Kaminga AC, Yang J, Liu J, Xu H.
Adverse childhood experiences and risk of cancer during adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Abuse Negl. 2021 May 8;117:105088. PMID: 33971569
From a research review, 2-3 ACEs were associated with 1.35 times and 4+ ACEs 2.17 times increased risk of adult cancer.
Bower JE, Kuhlman KR, Ganz PA, et. al.
Childhood maltreatment and monocyte gene expression among women with breast cancer. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Aug;88:396-402. PMID: 32247915
For 86 women newly diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, 28% reported childhood physical and/or emotional abuse or neglect and 7% childhood sexual abuse. Childhood maltreatment was associated with increased specific types of immune cell inflammation, which has possible implications for tumor progression.
Xiang X, Wang X.
Childhood adversity and major depression in later life: A competing-risks regression analysis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2021 Jan;36(1):215-223. PMID: 32869351
From a large national retirement study, “Childhood adversities increase the risk of major depression in later life, particularly for those who experienced physical abuse and trouble with the police.”
Shea AK, Frey BN, Gervais N, Lopez A, Minuzzi L.
Depression in midlife women attending a menopause clinic is associated with a history of childhood maltreatment. Climacteric. 2021 May 5:1-5. PMID: 33949252
Of women seeking care for bothersome menopausal symptoms, 66% reported childhood maltreatment. Higher childhood maltreatment scores were significantly associated with increased menopausal symptoms, even after adjusting for various factors.
LoCascio M, Infurna MR, Guarnaccia C, et. al.
Does Childhood Psychological Abuse Contribute to Intimate Partner Violence Victimization? An Investigation Using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Interview. J Interpers Violence. 2021 May;36(9-10):NP4626-4652. PMID: 30136884
Comparing 38 women who had experienced IPV to 40 who had not, there was a dose-response effect of cumulative childhood maltreatment on adult IPV victimization risk, with childhood emotional abuse the strongest risk factor.
Soares AG, Howe LD, Heron J, et. al.
How does childhood maltreatment influence cardiovascular disease? A sequential causal mediation analysis. Int J Epidemiol. 2021 May 26:dyab085. PMID: 34041541
Using data from a large national databank of UK adults aged 40-69 years, for men and women there was both the direct effect of different types of childhood abuse and the indirect effect of other factors such as smoking on cardiovascular disease risk.
Santo T Jr, Campbell G, Gisev N, et. al.
Prevalence of childhood maltreatment among people with opioid use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021 Feb 1;219:108459. PMID: 33401031
From a research review, among people with opioid use disorder (OUD), prevalence estimates were 38% for physical abuse, 43% for emotional abuse, 38% for physical neglect, 42% for emotional neglect, 41% for sexual abuse among women and 16% among men. “People with OUD frequently report the experience of childhood maltreatment, supporting the need for trauma-informed interventions among this population.”
Gannon M, Short V, LaNoue M, Abatemarco D.
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences of Parenting Women in Drug Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Community Ment Health J. 2021 Jul;57(5):872-879. PMID: 32556861
Of 152 parenting women enrolled in treatment for opioid use disorder, mean total ACE score was 4.3, 65.0% reported 4+ ACEs, while only 5.0% reported 0 ACEs. “The burden of ACEs in parenting women in treatment for OUD is significant. Understanding the trauma parenting women in drug treatment have experienced may support efforts to reduce stigma of this population.”
Salokangas RKR, Schultze-Lutter F, Schmidt SJ, et. al.
Childhood physical abuse and emotional neglect are specifically associated with adult mental disorders. J Ment Health. 2020 Aug;29(4):376-384. PMID: 30675805
For 415 adults seen in both primary and psychiatric care, of all of the childhood abuse and trauma domains, physical abuse and emotional neglect had the strongest association with adult psychiatric disorders.
Adolescents
Suglia SF, Chen C, Wang S, et. al.
Childhood Adversity and Pubertal Development Among Puerto Rican Boys and Girls. Psychosom Med. 2020 Jun;82(5):487-494. PMID: 32515925
For 1949 children of Puerto Rican descent living in the US or PR, an increasing number of childhood adversities were associated with earlier pubertal development in girls, but with lower pubertal development stage or later timing in boys.
Johnson RM, Hill AV, Jones VC, et. al.
Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Adverse Childhood Experiences and Selected Health-Related Behaviors and Problems Among Maryland Adolescents. Health Promot Pract. 2021 Apr 24:15248399211008238. PMID: 33899564
From a large study of Maryland high school students, 25.8% reported one of five ACEs - caregiver verbal abuse, household food insecurity, substance use or gambling, mental illness, and involvement with the criminal justice system. 15.4% reported 3 or more. Each ACE was associated with >30% higher prevalence of emotional distress, poor school performance, suicidal ideation, fighting, alcohol use and marijuana use. Those with 3+ ACEs were >8 times more likely to report suicidality.
Carbone JT, Jackson DB, Holzer KJ, Vaughn MG.
Childhood Adversity, Suicidality, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Children and Adolescents Admitted to Emergency Departments. Ann Epidemiol. 2021 Apr 28:S1047-2797(21)00071-5. PMID: 33932570
A national sample of 5-17 year-olds admitted to emergency departments showed that increasing odds of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts were associated with increasing ACEs.
Domestic Violence – Effects on Children
Ross MK, Romero T, Szilagyi PG.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Association with Pediatric Asthma Severity in the 2016-2017 National Survey of Children's Health. Acad Pediatr. 2021 Apr 30:S1876-2859(21)00241-2. PMID: 33940207
From a national survey, and after controlling for multiple variables, children who witnessed household parent/adult violence had 1.67 times higher adjusted odds of moderate/severe asthma.
Racism
Sonu S, Marvin D, Moore C. The Intersection and Dynamics between COVID-19, Health Disparities, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2021 May 15:1-10. PMID: 34025900
“ACEs do not affect all populations equally…The current COVID-19 pandemic highlights this point when observing both case rates and fatality rates of the virus and has the potential to create a new series of long-term health conditions that will disproportionately affect marginalized communities…adopting a trauma-informed approach will help lead to system change, advance equity, and create a setting of mutuality and empowerment for our patients.”
Bernard DL, Calhoun CD, Banks DE, et. al.
Making the "C-ACE" for a Culturally-Informed Adverse Childhood Experiences Framework to Understand the Pervasive Mental Health Impact of Racism on Black Youth. J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2020 Aug 11;14(2):233-247. PMID: 33986909“
We provide a culturally informed framework centrally focused on demonstrating the harmful effects of racism across the ACEs pyramid to highlight its deleterious biopsychosocial effects among Black youth.”
Perpetration
Voith LA, Anderson RE, Cahill SP.
Extending the ACEs Framework: Examining the Relations Between Childhood Abuse and Later Victimization and Perpetration With College Men. J Interpers Violence. 2020 Sep;35(17-18):3487-3512. PMID: 29294760
Of 423 college men assessed via an anonymous web survey, various forms of childhood abuse were associated with both IPV/sexual assault perpetration and victimization in the past year.
Providers
Berken JA, Heard-Garris N, Wakschlag LS.
Guardians at the Gate: Early Adversity, Neurocognitive Development, and the Role of the Pediatrician in the Era of COVID-19. Front Pediatr. 2021 Apr 14;9:665335. PMID: 33937157
“Adverse childhood experiences…may lead to diminished cognitive flexibility, inattention, increased impulsivity, decreased school readiness, and disruptive behaviors. In this regard, the current COVID-19 pandemic represents an especially complex adverse experience…We present a clinical workflow for the physician to proactively assess, identify, stratify, and address the severity of ACEs worsened by COVID-19. We discuss home-based activities and resources for children and adolescents to promote stress reduction, connectiveness, and self-awareness…to maximize neurodevelopmental potential in the face of the ongoing pandemic.”
Burstein D, Yang C, Johnson K, Linkenbach J, Sege R.
Transforming Practice with HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences). Matern Child Health J. 2021 Jul;25(7):1019-1024. PMID: 33954880
Authors promote asking about positive childhood experiences in multiple settings, including health care, early childhood education, home visiting, child welfare, and other public health efforts. “By opening up dialogue to focus on a family’s assets and strengths, as well as respecting the cultural and individual expertise of parents and families, HOPE can better align family and provider goals and priorities.”
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