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Alcaraz M, Pierce H, Eggum ND, Nuño-Gutiérrez BL, Ghimire D. A cross-cultural examination of adverse childhood experiences in low-and middle-income countries and their relation with adolescent educational aspirations. Child Abuse Negl 2024; 152:106756. [PMID: 38531287 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18. Researchers have examined the negative associations between adversity and adolescent and adult outcomes, such as education and physical health. However, research on ACEs, and their association with other outcomes in non-western contexts is sparse. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to increase our understanding of the prevalence of ACEs - and their association with educational aspirations - in low- and middle-income country contexts. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING We utilize data from the Family Migration and Early Life Outcomes (FAMELO) project, a multi-site survey project that collected data from families in historically high-migration contexts. ACEs and educational aspirations were measured in children aged 11 to17 years in Mexico (n = 853), Mozambique (n = 651), and Nepal (n = 1180). METHODS We use Poisson regressions to examine the prevalence of ACEs in multiple cultures, and then use multinomial logistic regressions to examine whether ACEs are associated with educational aspirations, as a practical application of the utility of the ACEs framework in cross-cultural contexts. RESULTS Our results suggest that adolescents in Mozambique have a higher average number of ACEs (2.7) than adolescents in Mexico (1.4) and Nepal (1.3). Female adolescents reported fewer ACEs, while socioeconomic vulnerabilities (low-income and low parental education) were associated with higher exposure to ACEs, with differences by country. Lastly, ACEs were associated with lower educational aspirations in Mexico and Nepal. CONCLUSIONS Our study attempted to heed the call of many scholars who have pushed for an expansion of research on ACEs in non-western, low- and middle-income country contexts.
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Jones MS, Kevorkian SS, Lehmann PS, Chouhy C, Meldrum RC. Adverse childhood experiences, gender, and suicidality among Florida high school students: Examining intervening mechanisms. Child Abuse Negl 2024; 153:106834. [PMID: 38704885 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent a key risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents. However, the intervening mechanisms linking ACEs and suicidality, and whether such processes vary by gender, remain underexplored. OBJECTIVE The present study examines whether the relationships between ACEs and the likelihood of experiencing suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide are indirect through depressive symptoms and low self-control. This study also investigates whether these direct and indirect paths might be moderated by gender. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING The analyses make use of data on a statewide representative sample of students enrolled in public high schools in Florida (N = 23,078) from the 2022 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS). METHODS Generalized structural equation modeling (GSEM) was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of ACEs on the likelihood of suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide. The indirect effects were assessed using bootstrapping, and between-gender differences in the coefficients were tested. RESULTS ACEs has direct associations with depressive symptoms, low self-control, and both suicidality outcomes. The effects of ACEs on suicidal thoughts are indirect through both depressive symptoms and low self-control, and the effects of ACEs on suicide attempts are indirect through depressive symptoms. Limited gender differences in these pathways emerge. CONCLUSIONS For male and female youth, ACEs are associated with heightened depression symptoms and reduced self-control, and both of these factors partially explain the previously established relationship between ACEs and suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S Jones
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, United States of America
| | - Salpi S Kevorkian
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida International University, United States of America
| | - Peter S Lehmann
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, United States of America
| | - Cecilia Chouhy
- College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State Univeristy, United States of America
| | - Ryan C Meldrum
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida Atlantic University, United States of America
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So M, Freese RL, Barnes AJ. Pushed Out and Drawn In: Exclusionary Discipline, Mental Health, and Protective Factors Among Youth in Public Schools. J Sch Health 2024; 94:128-137. [PMID: 37867252 PMCID: PMC10843458 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exclusionary discipline (ED) has long been an educational equity concern, but its relationship with student health and protective factors is less understood. METHODS Using population-based public school student data (N = 82,216), we examined associations between past-month ED and positive depression and anxiety screening instrument results. We also assessed whether each of 9 potential protective factors moderated the ED-mental health relationship by testing interaction effects. RESULTS Over 1 in 10 youth experienced past-month ED, with variation by sex, gender identity, special education status, poverty, region, race/ethnicity, and adverse childhood experiences. Net of sociodemographic factors, youth who experienced ED had higher likelihood for current depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55, 1.73) and anxiety (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.58) symptoms. Significant associations were robust across 5 racial/ethnic groups, except for anxiety among American Indian/Alaska Native youth. Individual, interpersonal, and school-level protective factors appeared to mitigate depression and anxiety regardless of disciplinary experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY Our findings document ED disproportionality and possible ramifications for emotional well-being. CONCLUSIONS In concert with structural efforts to reduce reliance on ED, strategies that bolster protective factors may support youth already impacted by ED and/or mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin So
- LifeLong Medical Care, William Jenkins Health Center, Richmond, CA
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Rebecca L. Freese
- University of Minnesota, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Andrew J. Barnes
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Minneapolis, MN
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Frawley C, Babb K, Lambie GW. Predictors of Trauma Symptoms Among Children Referred for Behavioral School-based Mental Health Counseling. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2023; 16:597-605. [PMID: 37593055 PMCID: PMC10427567 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00522-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Child mental health researchers often focus on interventions that improve externalizing problems (i.e., disruptive, aggressive, and impulsive behaviors), due to the relationship between children's externalizing behaviors and social, emotional, and academic disparities. School-based mental health counselors work to reduce externalizing problems due to the relationship between these behaviors and school-based problems, such as bullying victimization, school adjustment difficulties, and suspension. Children with complex trauma histories often exhibit externalizing problems. Unfortunately, limited research examines school trauma screening and guidelines for schools to effectively distinguish behavioral and trauma-related symptoms. As a result, we examined whether children's trauma symptoms predicted their externalizing problems that prompted referrals for school-based mental health counseling interventions at three Title-I elementary schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Frawley
- Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
| | - Kathryn Babb
- Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
| | - Glenn W. Lambie
- Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
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Pierce H, Jones MS, Shoaf H, Heim M. Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Positive Functioning during Adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 2023; 52:913-930. [PMID: 36592321 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01729-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to have consequences for adolescent development, yet little is known about the association between ACEs and positive functioning. Positive functioning evaluates engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness, and happiness, which are intimately related to pro-social behavior. As skills associated with sociability in adolescence often carry on into adulthood, understanding the developmental origins in inequalities in pro-social behavior, as measured by positive functioning, is key to ensuring equitable life chances across the life course. Subsequently, the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS; n = 3444) was used to examine how early exposure to cumulative ACEs, plus the timing and duration of those ACEs may be associated with positive functioning development in adolescence. The sample consisted of urban-born youth (49% female) with the mean age of 15. Racial/ethnic breakdown of the sample is 18% non-Hispanic White, 49% non-Hispanic Black, 25% Hispanic, and 8% "Other". Overall, estimates suggest that roughly 88% of these youth experienced at least one ACE by age five. The findings indicate that cumulation, timing, and duration of early ACEs are related to overall adolescent positive functioning and four out of the five domains (perseverance, optimism, connectedness, and happiness), even after controlling for more recent ACEs. This study highlights the critical impact of very early ACEs on youth positive functioning, which may confer further physical, mental, and social disadvantages into adulthood. Positive functioning can serve as a protective factor against some of the negative consequences of adversity, and ensuring that all families receive proper supports may limit the lifelong effects of adversity, and most importantly, prevent ACEs from occurring in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Pierce
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, 2036 JFSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
| | - Melissa S Jones
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, 2036 JFSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Hannah Shoaf
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, 2036 JFSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Mackenzie Heim
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, 2036 JFSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
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Holcombe EA, Jones MS, Lehmann PS, Meldrum RC. Differential Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Florida High School Students: The Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. J Adolesc Health 2023; 72:553-559. [PMID: 36528515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The prevalence of exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) across distinct intersections of race/ethnicity and gender among adolescents remains relatively unknown. The current study seeks to address this important gap in the literature using a statewide representative sample of Florida high school students. METHODS Data drawn from the 2020 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) (N = 20,438) were analyzed to examine differences in ACE exposure among 26 racial/ethnic and gender subgroups of high-school aged youth. Lifetime exposure to ACEs was constructed using 10 different ACE categories to measure ACEs prevalence as reported exposure to 1+ ACEs and 4+ ACEs. RESULTS Exposure to ACEs was highly gendered and varied according to racial/ethnic subgroup. While notable differences across gender and racial/ethnic groups emerged when measuring prevalence as exposure to 1+ ACEs, several of these disparities were further amplified when prevalence was measured as exposure to 4+ ACEs. Native American female adolescents represented the group at greatest risk of high exposure to ACEs, with more than 50% of such youth reporting exposure to 4+ ACEs. DISCUSSION The prevalence of ACE exposure varies significantly across race/ethnic and gender subgroups of youth. These intersections should be considered for prevention efforts and clinical treatments of trauma exposure as ACEs may be linked to certain outcomes or behaviors based on high exposure in certain subpopulations of youth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa S Jones
- Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Peter S Lehmann
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, Houston, Texas
| | - Ryan C Meldrum
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
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Tcherni-Buzzeo M. Increased Prescribing of Psychotropic Drugs or School-Based Services for Children with Disabilities? Associations of These Self-control-Boosting Strategies with Juvenile Violence at the State Level. J Dev Life Course Criminol 2023; 9:1-35. [PMID: 36789240 PMCID: PMC9910267 DOI: 10.1007/s40865-023-00223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The increasing rates at which psychotropic drugs have been prescribed to children and adolescents in the USA in the last three decades (since the early 1990s) have prompted questions about whether this trend is associated with the "great American crime decline." Medicalization can be considered one of the strategies to remedy children's neuropsychological deficits and improve their self-control. Another possible remedy is school-based services for children with learning disabilities, mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004. Using state-level panel data analyses for years 1990-2014 (with the main focus on 2000-2014 outcomes), the current study estimates associations between these two developmental self-control remedies-medicalization and school-based services-and minor, moderate, and severe types of juvenile violence, while controlling for relevant covariates (both time-varying and time-invariant). The results of mixed-effects linear regression analyses accounting for powerful time trends show a strong association between increases in school-based services for children with learning disabilities and declines in all types of juvenile violence. Another strong and consistent finding that emerges in the analyses is the link between reductions in child poverty at the state level and decreases in juvenile violence, both contemporaneously and over time. Psychotropic drug prescribing to children (measured using Supplemental Security Income rolls of children with mental health conditions) exhibits inconsistent or insignificant effects. The findings of this study have substantial theoretical and policy implications and indicate the importance of strengthening school-based services for children with disabilities and reducing child poverty as essential violence prevention tools.
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Wojciak AS, Powers J, Chan ACY, Pleggenkuhle AL, Hooper LM. ARCCH Model of Resilience: A Flexible Multisystemic Resilience Framework. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:3920. [PMID: 35409602 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence and impact of trauma, such as adverse childhood experiences, race-based trauma, and a global pandemic, highlight the critical need for a flexible multisystemic framework of resilience. This manuscript outlines the universality of trauma and resilience and also provides a description of the gaps in existing resilience frameworks that led to the development of a flexible multisystemic resilience framework entitled the ARCCH Model of Resilience. Attachment, Regulation, Competence, Culture, and Health are elements of personal and cultural identities, families, communities, and systems that can be used to evaluate strengths, identify areas that need support, and provide steps for culturally responsive and ecologically valid interventions. A multisystemic application of ARCCH is provided.
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