Details:

Alternative Title:
Psychol Trauma
Personal Author:
Leslie, Carine E. ; Walsh, Colleen S. ; Sullivan, Terri N.
Leslie, Carine E. ; Walsh, Colleen S. ; Sullivan, Terri N. Less -
Description:
Objective:

The link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and negative mental health outcomes is well established. However, the intergenerational link between caregiver ACE history and their child’s psychosocial outcomes is understudied, particularly within minoritized groups. This study aimed to delineate relations between caregiver ACE exposure and their child’s depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms by proposing a serial mediation of caregiver PTSD, family management problems, and child ACEs.

Methods:

273 Caregiver (Mage = 39.27; 88% female) and adolescent (Mage = 14.26; 57% female) dyads from low-income urban communities completed electronic questionnaires measuring PTSD symptoms and ACEs. Child participants also completed a measure of depression and family management problems. Regression and serial mediation analyses were conducted to examine associations among these variables.

Results:

Caregiver ACEs were significantly associated with their child’s PTSD symptoms but were not related to their child’s depression scores. Serial mediation analyses indicated that child ACEs mediated the relation between caregiver ACEs and their child’s PTSD symptoms. Evidence for an overall indirect effect via caregiver PTSD, family management problems, and child ACEs was not found. No indirect effects between caregiver ACEs and child depression were found.

Conclusions:

Findings evidence that higher levels of caregiver ACE exposure is associated with their child’s PTSD symptoms in a sample of African American dyads living in urban, high burden communities. These results suggest a need for ACE screening during medical visits and provides guidance for future clinical interventions. The distinct intergenerational consequences for caregivers with ACEs and their children’s psychosocial wellbeing warrant further study.


Subjects:
[+]
Adolescent Adult Adverse Childhood Experiences Black Or African American Caregivers Child Female Historical Trauma Humans Male Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Source:
Psychol Trauma. 15(5):877-887
Pubmed ID:
35901424
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC10191152
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
U01 CE002766/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; U01CE002766/ACL/ACL HHSUnited States/
U01 CE002766/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; U01CE002766/ACL/ACL HHSUnited States/ Less -
Place as Subject:
United States
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:fbf76988c733585bf39ae02fe233f6ccb12d81050cbc29667cfe85bcbe8b8079
File Type:

• Supporting Files:
  No Additional Files

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