Distinct contributions of adverse childhood experiences and resilience resources: a cohort analysis of adult physical and mental health.

Although evidence is rapidly amassing as to the damaging potential of early life adversities on physical and mental health, as yet few investigations provide comparative snapshots of these patterns across adulthood. This population-based study addresses this gap, examining the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to physical and mental health within a representative sample (n = 19,333) of adults, comparing the prevalence and explanatory strength of ACEs among four birth cohorts spanning ages 18-79. This assessment accounts for demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as both direct and moderating effects of resilience resources (social/emotional support, life satisfaction, and sleep quality). Findings demonstrate (1) increasing trends of reported ACEs across younger cohorts, including time period shifts such as more prevalent family incarceration, substance abuse, and divorce, (2) significant bivariate as well as independent associations of ACEs with poor health within every cohort, controlling for multiple covariates (increasing trends in older age for physical health), and (3) robust patterns wherein resilience resources moderated ACEs, indicating buffering pathways that sustained into old age. Theoretical and practice implications for health professionals are discussed.

Community-wide resilience mitigates adverse childhood experiences on adult and youth health, school/work, and problem behaviors.

This study developed community-wide measures for 118 Washington State communities of levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience, and found significant mitigating effects of resilience on community-wide levels of mental health, physical health, problem behaviors, and school/work outcomes, independent of community-wide levels of ACEs, low income, and race/ethnic composition. The data set was constructed by calculating aggregated community-level variables from measures obtained from survey responses to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for adults and the Healthy Youth Survey for youth and combining them with state archival data. Principal component factor scores were calculated for community-wide levels of individual and contextual resilience. Individual resilience included prevalence of social-emotional support, life satisfaction, and optimism. Contextual resilience included social capital factors, social cohesion and collective efficacy for adults and protective supports for youth in four domains-family/adult, peer, school, and neighborhood/community. Both contextual and individual resilience levels mitigated outcomes for adults-only contextual resilience for youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

How to increase community-wide resilience and decrease inequalities due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): Strategies from Walla Walla, Washington.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) negatively impact community-level social problems, education, work, mental, and physical health beyond the effects of economic and political inequality. This paper summarizes the evidence that community-wide resilience moderates such impacts and examines how resilience can be increased by strategic interventions focused on community capacity building; Trauma-Informed Practices (TIPs) by staff in community organizations; and cultural change. Findings from three formative research evaluations in Walla Walla, Washington, show how community capacity was increased, trauma-informed practices were implemented across local organizations, and a school's culture was transformed. Common elements of change were shifts in: mindsets, collaborative relationships, and organizational values/structures. These changes enabled the adoption of scaffolded, equity-based, innovative interventions that can potentially decrease economic and racial/ethnic disparities by preventing the progression of ACEs into adult adversities, poverty, and discrimination.

Treatment readmissions and criminal recidivism in youth following participation in chemical dependency treatment.

The purpose of this study was to use administrative records of admissions to substance abuse treatment to construct episodes of care for publicly funded adolescent clients in Washington State, and then to analyze two important outcomes after an index episode: readmissions to treatment and criminal convictions (including felony convictions and any conviction). The study population was youth, ages 14 to 17, who began and ended an index episode in 1997 and 1998 (n=5903). The youth were followed for 18 months after the end of their episode, and survival analysis techniques were used to determine the treatment correlates of the outcomes. Clients who completed treatment, compared to those who did not, had significantly lower risks of each outcome, while those with treatment episodes longer than 90 days had lower risks of readmission and felony convictions.

Stress pathways to health inequalities: Embedding ACEs within social and behavioral contexts.

OBJECTIVE: This study addresses whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) demonstrate disproportional prevalence across demographic- and health-affecting characteristics, offer significant explanation of adult health outcomes, and show patterned association with illness susceptibility early within and across adulthood when viewed in combination with income and psychosocial resources. METHODS: Data were derived from a population-based state health survey using stratified random sampling of household adults (n=7,470): ages 18-99 (M=55), 59.9% females, and race/ethnicity, income and education levels representative of the region. We assessed ACEs by aggregating 8 adversity forms, 5 health behaviors and 3 psychosocial resources; and health outcomes (number of chronic conditions, subjective wellness). RESULTS: Disproportionality was evident in ACEs levels by demographics, adult SES, health behaviors, and psychosocial resources in expected directions. Stepped multiple regressions of health outcomes demonstrated significant betas and R2 change for each predictor block, revealing cumulative as well as unique explanatory utility. Early onset chronic illness was evident on the basis of ACEs levels. These illnesses were amplified for low income respondents. Prevalence was highest across adulthood for those also reporting low psychosocial assets. CONCLUSIONS: Findings offer novel insights as to the "long reach" of childhood adversity on health, conditioned by circumstances under which these effects may occur. Health resilience offered by health behaviors and psychosocial resources should shape thinking about preventive and remedial interventions by social work and allied professionals across a range of settings.

Reducing adverse childhood experiences (ACE) by building community capacity: a summary of Washington Family Policy Council research findings.

Community capacity for organization and collaboration has been shown to be a powerful tool for improving the health and well-being of communities. Since 1994 the Washington State Family Policy Council has supported the development of community capacity in 42 community public health and safety networks. Community networks bring local communities together to restructure natural supports and local resources to meet the needs of families and children, and increase cross-system coordination and flexible funding streams to improve local services and policy. In this study, researchers sought to demonstrate the strong impact of the community networks' capacity to interrupt health and social problems. Findings suggest that community networks reduce health and safety problems for the entire community population. Further, community networks with high community capacity reduced adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in young adults ages 18-34.