Adverse childhood experiences increase mental health risk

Exposure to childhood adversity has an impact on adult mental health, increasing the risk for depression and suicide. Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and several adult mental and behavioral health outcomes are well ...

In subsequent moderation analyses, there was strong evidence that the prevalence of 4+ ACEs was higher in populations with a history of a mental health condition (47.5%; 95% CI: 34.4‐60.7) and with substance abuse or addiction (55.2%; 95% CI: 45.5‐64.8), as well as in individuals from ...

Official records are more likely to include only the most severe cases of childhood adversity and are more likely to document ACEs that happened chronically or earlier in life [81]. They subsequently miss childhood experiences that may not require official child protective services record such as childhood bullying or parental divorce, but that may still be significantly associated with poor outcomes [82, 83]. Furthermore, prospectively measured ACEs may also be vulnerable to under-reporting due to substantiation bias, report bias, investigation bias, and issues relating to stigma and secrecy [84–86]. Despite the limitations outlined, prospective measures of ACEs provide valuable information about temporal patterning of ACEs and later-life mental ill-health.

For children, the result is disruption of the development of brain architecture and other organ systems and an increase in lifelong risk for physical and mental disorders. A large number of adverse experiences (ie, toxic stressors) in childhood can trigger a toxic stress response.456 These ...

Toxic stress from ACEs can change brain development and affect how the body responds to stress. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood. However, ACEs can be prevented.

These numbers also highlight the ... impacts on behavior and health (8). The prevalence of ACEs is strikingly lower among adults aged ≥65 years than among younger age groups; although this might be due to recall bias or ...

Over a quarter (27.1%) of Chinese adults have experienced at least one ACE, with neglect being the most common type. We identified four distinct ACE profiles, with the caregiver’s maladjustment profile showing the strongest association with any mental health outcomes. A total of 39.4% observed mental health outcomes were attributable to ACEs in China...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with persistent mental health risks and brain structural differences across adulthood, yet their long-term neurobiological relevance in aging populations remains unclear.

The review demonstrates variability in the documentation of participant characteristics and inconsistencies in the definitions and applications of ACEs, social and mental health and related measurements. There is also a lack of longitudinal and experimental study designs, studies on severe mental illness, and studies including minority groups, adolescents, and older adults with mental health problems.