IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i17p6633-d1223455.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

ACEtimation—The Combined Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Violence, Health-Harming Behaviors, and Mental Ill-Health: Findings across England and Wales

Author

Listed:
  • Rebekah Lydia Miriam Amos

    (School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK)

  • Katie Cresswell

    (School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK)

  • Karen Hughes

    (School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK
    World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-Being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK)

  • Mark A. Bellis

    (School of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK
    World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-Being, Public Health Wales, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK
    Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L2 2ER, UK)

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) encompass various adversities, e.g., physical and/or emotional abuse. Understanding the effects of different ACE types on various health outcomes can guide targeted prevention and intervention. We estimated the association between three categories of ACEs in isolation and when they co-occurred. Specifically, the relationship between child maltreatment, witnessing violence, and household dysfunction and the risk of being involved in violence, engaging in health-harming behaviors, and experiencing mental ill-health. Data were from eight cross-sectional surveys conducted in England and Wales between 2012 and 2022. The sample included 21,716 adults aged 18–69 years; 56.6% were female. Exposure to child maltreatment and household dysfunction in isolation were strong predictors of variant outcomes, whereas witnessing violence was not. However, additive models showed that witnessing violence amplified the measured risk beyond expected levels for being a victim or perpetrator of violence. The multiplicative effect of all three ACE categories demonstrated the highest level of risk (RRs from 1.7 to 7.4). Given the increased risk associated with co-occurring ACEs, it is crucial to target individuals exposed to any ACE category to prevent their exposure to additional harm. Implementing universal interventions that safeguard children from physical, emotional, and sexual violence is likely to mitigate a range of subsequent issues, including future involvement in violence.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebekah Lydia Miriam Amos & Katie Cresswell & Karen Hughes & Mark A. Bellis, 2023. "ACEtimation—The Combined Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Violence, Health-Harming Behaviors, and Mental Ill-Health: Findings across England and Wales," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-13, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:17:p:6633-:d:1223455
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/17/6633/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/17/6633/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rothman, K.J. & Greenland, S., 2005. "Causation and causal inference in epidemiology," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(S1), pages 144-150.
    2. Negriff, Sonya, 2020. "ACEs are not equal: Examining the relative impact of household dysfunction versus childhood maltreatment on mental health in adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    3. Tracie O. Afifi & Samantha Salmon & Ashley Stewart-Tufescu & Tamara Taillieu, 2022. "An Examination of Parents’ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) History and Reported Spanking of Their Child: Informing Child Maltreatment Prevention Efforts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-9, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Valerie Michaelson & Ron Ensom, 2022. "Ending the Social Normalization of Violence against Children in Canada: A Framework, Rationale, and Appeal to Canadian Faith Leaders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Louis Anthony (Tony) Cox & Edward Sanders, 2006. "Estimating Preventable Fractions of Disease Caused by a Specified Biological Mechanism: PAHs in Smoking Lung Cancers as an Example," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(4), pages 881-892, August.
    3. Manoj Sharma & Erin Largo-Wight & Amar Kanekar & Hana Kusumoto & Stephanie Hooper & Vinayak K. Nahar, 2020. "Using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Explain Intentional Outdoor Nature Contact Behavior among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Ulep, Valerie Gilbert T. & Ortiz, Danica Aisa P. & Go, John Juliard & Duante, Charmaine & Gonzales, Rosa C. & Mendoza, Laurita R. & Reyes, Clarissa & Elgo, Frances Rose & Aldeon, Melanie P., 2012. "Inequities in Noncommunicable Diseases," Discussion Papers DP 2012-04, Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
    5. Sayyah, Madison D. & Merrick, Jillian S. & Larson, Matthew D. & Narayan, Angela J., 2022. "Childhood adversity subtypes and young adulthood mental health problems: Unpacking effects of maltreatment, family dysfunction, and peer victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    6. Jean-Baptist du Prel & Johannes Siegrist & Daniela Borchart, 2019. "The Role of Leisure-Time Physical Activity in the Change of Work-Related Stress (ERI) over Time," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Sime Smolic & Ivan Cipin & Petra Medimurec, 2020. "How is health associated with employment during later working life in Croatia?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 44(1), pages 99-116.
    8. Trinidad, Jose Eos, 2021. "Social consequences and contexts of adverse childhood experiences," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    9. Wolf, Jennifer Price & Freisthler, Bridget & McCarthy, Karla Shockley, 2021. "Parenting in poor health: Examining associations between parental health, prescription drug use, and child maltreatment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    10. Nicole Letourneau & Lubna Anis & Jason Novick & Carrie Pohl & Henry Ntanda & Martha Hart, 2023. "Impacts of the Attachment and Child Health (ATTACH TM ) Parenting Program on Mothers and Their Children at Risk of Maltreatment: Phase 2 Results," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    11. Nihaya Al-Sheyab & Mahmoud A. Alomari & Smita Shah & Patrick Gallagher & Robyn Gallagher, 2014. "Prevalence, Patterns and Correlates of Cigarette Smoking in Male Adolescents in Northern Jordan, and the Influence of Waterpipe Use and Asthma Diagnosis: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, September.
    12. Högnäs, Robin S. & Bijlsma, Maarten J. & Högnäs, Ulf & Blomqvist, Sandra & Westerlund, Hugo & Hanson, Linda Magnusson, 2022. "It's giving me the blues: A fixed-effects and g-formula approach to understanding job insecurity, sleep disturbances, and major depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    13. Vineet Chaudhary & Gagandeep Kaur Walia & Naorem Kiranmala Devi & Lokesh Singh Shekhawat & Kallur Nava Saraswathy, 2024. "Adverse childhood experiences in mental health of young adults: An exploratory study from Delhi-NCR, India," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(3), pages 445-456, May.
    14. Del Bono, Emilia & Francesconi, Marco & G. Best, Nicky, 2011. "Health information and health outcomes: an application of the regression discontinuity design to the 1995 UK contraceptive pill scare case," ISER Working Paper Series 2011-16, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    15. Mackenbach, Johan P. & Kulhánová, Ivana & Bopp, Matthias & Deboosere, Patrick & Eikemo, Terje A. & Hoffmann, Rasmus & Kulik, Margarete C. & Leinsalu, Mall & Martikainen, Pekka & Menvielle, Gwenn & Reg, 2015. "Variations in the relation between education and cause-specific mortality in 19 European populations: A test of the “fundamental causes” theory of social inequalities in health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 51-62.
    16. Ingyu Moon & Junghee Han, 2022. "Moderating Effects of Physical Activity on the Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health-Related Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-18, January.
    17. Karen Hughes & Kat Ford & Mark A. Bellis & Rebekah Amos, 2022. "Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences and Perpetration of Child Physical Punishment in Wales," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-6, October.
    18. David Britt & Yung-Chou Chen, 2013. "Increasing the capacity of conceptual diagrams to embrace contextual complexity," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 567-576, January.
    19. Baltica Cabieses & Kate E. Pickett & Helena Tunstall, 2012. "Comparing Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Disability Between Immigrants and the Chilean-Born: Are There Different Stories to Tell?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-30, December.
    20. Chien-Wen Chen & Bo-Jhih Guan & Mohammed R. Alzahrani & Zhaofeng Gao & Long Gao & Syrena Bracey & Jing Wu & Cheikh A. Mbow & Raul Jobava & Leena Haataja & Ajay H. Zalavadia & Ashleigh E. Schaffer & Hu, 2022. "Adaptation to chronic ER stress enforces pancreatic β-cell plasticity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:17:p:6633-:d:1223455. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.