INTRODUCTION: Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population have had at least one adverse childhood experience (CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences [ACE] Study, 2009). Some consequences of ACEs are manifested as the child grows into late teenage years and young adulthood. Research suggests that children exposed to traumatic events during childhood subsequently experience negative health outcomes like substance abuse, engagement in risky and harmful sexual behavior, and STD occurrence. AIM: In this thesis I explore the associations of 18 year olds’ described use of alcohol, risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with childhood exposure to caregiver substance abuse, violence and family circumstances METHODS: Data were obtained from the Longitudinal Studies of Childhood Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) Assessments 0 - 18 from the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN). Variables on adverse childhood experiences, sex behaviors, STDs and substance use were observed in SAS. Multiple logistic regression models were used to identify odds ratios and strength of associations. RESULTS: Results suggests significant associations among participants who were exposed to parent/caregiver use of illicit drugs during participant’s childhood and subsequent self-reported heavy alcohol use 1.60 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.22), having early sexual initiation (at age 13 or younger) 1.60 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.22), having 6 or more sexual partners 1.36 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.68) and having STDs 1.83 (95% CI: 1.36, 2.46). Eighteen year olds with who were African American, were at a greater odds of having greater than 6 sexual partners, having sexual intercourse at or before age 13 and having (an) STD(s). No significant associations were found between having a parent/caregiver or member of household who was incarcerated, being exposed to violence, being exposed to yelling often or parental often use of alcohol and subsequent alcohol abuse, having greater than 6 sexual partners, having sexual intercourse at or before age 13 and having (an) STD(s) . DISCUSSION: Based on the findings of these analyses, programs for adolescents should focus time and resources on young children who may be currently experiencing, or at risk for experiencing, parental/ caregiver illicit drug use in the home.

It is well established that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to health and emotional outcomes. But less is known about the relationship between ACEs and educational attainment—a potentially important feature of educational stratification in America. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative youth study of 7-12th grade students in the 1994-95 school year, I investigate whether ACEs is linked to post-secondary attainment and examine the role of health and socio-emotional factors as mediators. Results confirm that there is a graded relationship between ACEs and timely bachelor's degree attainment. I find that an additional ACE decreases the odds of timely bachelor's degree attainment by about 17%, even after accounting for other related factors.

Background Normal adolescent development often involves sexual activity. Early sexual initiation poses a challenge to health and well-being. In 2015, Tennessee had the 9th highest teen birth rate in the country. The structural, social and economic environments of growth define sexual risk taking, with poverty, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) religiosity and family structure known to affect adolescent and adult health. This study seeks to explore the effect of these factors on early sexual initiation. Methods A sample of college students taking the introductory psychology course participated in the study through the ETSU SONA system. They completed a self-reported web-based survey inquiring about their family structure growing up (between the ages of 5 and 15), exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), economic hardship, religious attendance at age 14 and sexual risk behaviors such as age of sexual debut and total lifetime number of sexual partners. Early sexual initiation was defined as having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex before 15 years of age. Of 385 students who completed the survey, final analysis included 352 (91.4%) students who were between ages 18-24. We used descriptive statistics to analyze survey responses. Chi square tests were done to determine the association of these exposures with age at sexual initiation. Bivariate logistic regression was used to explore the impact of the structural, social and economic environments while growing up on age at sexual initiation. All analyses were done on SAS 9.4. Results Of 352 included in the analysis, 239 (67.9%) were females, 264 (72.73%) are Non-Hispanic whites and 314 (89.2%) have never been married. About 60% had at least one ACE and 111 (31.53%) had high economic hardship. Mean age at sexual debut was 16.55 (16.56 for females and 16.53 for males). Only 7.1% had sexual initiation before 15. Based on chi square tests, early sexual initiation was associated with higher ACE scores, no / infrequent religious attendance and ‘not always living with biological or adoptive parents from birth to age 18’. Economic hardship was not associated with early sexual initiation. Bivariate logistic regression showed significantly higher chances of early sexual initiation (before 15 years) with one to three ACEs (P-value= 0.03) and ≥ 4 ACEs (P-value= 0.004). Conclusion The social, structural and economic environment of a child’s growth is a major determinant of sexual risk behaviors. Interventions should be aimed at modifying the environment in which children grow to reduce rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and improve health.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have long been linked to poor physical, mental, and behavioral outcomes in adulthood. Individuals with exposure to more types of ACEs are at greater risk of engaging in delinquent and criminal offending and also are relatedly more likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. The high prevalence of ACEs and other co-morbid risk factors in forensic populations calls for further investigation into how differential exposure to adversities influence the onset and nature of offending behaviors. Additionally, there are few studies investigating structural elements that precede offending behaviors (e.g., social and economic factors) in varied communities. Thus, the present study aims to examine the role of individual adversities and community factors on the development of nonsexual delinquent behaviors and juvenile justice involvement in a treatment sample of male adolescents. Data for the present study were derived from two sources. First, data were collected from archival records at a private nonprofit facility in rural Appalachia that provides treatment to adolescents who have engaged in sexually abusive behavior. Variables of interest include exposure to ACEs, indicators of sexual boundary problems within the home of origin (exposure to pornography by adult in home, witnessing sexual behaviors between others), and lifetime arrest history. Second, county-level secondary data were downloaded and delineated by county from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) program website, which provides publicly available data compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The CHR&R data has been published annually since 2010 and includes county-level markers of overall health and various factors that impact the health of counties. A standardized z-score was calculated to indicate social and economic environment compared to other counties in the state. Participants were assigned a z-score based on documented zip code of origin. To test the hypothesized model, confirmatory factor analysis was used, first examining indicators of individual adverse experiences and exposure to sexual behaviors in the home of origin. A three-factor model emerged: Factor 1 represented emotional abuse, physical abuse, and neglect; Factor 2 included indicators of household dysfunction; and Factor 3 included sexual abuse and more passive indicators of sexual boundary concerns in the home. Next, structural equation modeling revealed the association between individual experiences of adversity, county-level social/economic environment, and nonsexual delinquent behaviors with socioecological influences as a moderator. Results reveal varying relationships between exposures to adversity and arrest-related outcome variables. Additional discussion regarding findings, implications, and areas for future research will be explored.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to risky health behaviors, and chronic disease. Children exposed to trauma are seven times more likely to develop a substance use disorder (SU) in adulthood. However, not all children who experience ACEs will grow up to have detrimental outcomes. Parental emotion socialization (ES) may be particularly relevant for promoting risk or resilience in the context of adversity. The present study aimed to examine ES as a moderator of the relationship between ACEs and SU. Participants were recruited from East Tennessee State University. Simple regression revealed that non-supportive ES significantly moderated the relationship between ACEs and drug use, r2 = .041, F (7, 456) = 2.772, p < 0.001. Supportive ES significantly moderated the relationship between ACEs and drug use, r2=.051, F (7, 456) = 3.473, p < 0.001. Overall, the results provide further understanding on the relationship between ACEs, ES, and SU.

Working memory (WM) is a crucial component of cognitive function that affects learning, reasoning, and problem solving, all of which are important for daily functioning. Therefore, addressing factors that can impact working memory, such as stress, are incredibly relevant to understanding WM efficiency. WM is an important component of higher order cognitive function and high WM capacity has been shown to be important for academic and occupational performance. Thus, understanding the relationship between stress-related factors and WM could aid in identifying strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of stress on working memory. Although some previous research has indicated a negative impact of acute stress on WM, other research has indicated no impact or even a positive impact of stress on WM. As the relationship between acute stress and WM is mixed, examining other stress-related factors may provide further insight into the relationship. The current study examines how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and acute stress influence WM, and how frontal theta and alpha activity are affected by WM task demands. Participants completed a working memory task while their EEG was recorded. Participants then completed the PANAS to assess their current emotional state. Following the PANAS, participants viewed a stressful or neutral video as an acute stress induction, followed by a second PANAS to ensure effectiveness of stress induction. Participants then completed the WM task a second time. Finally, the participants completed the ACEs questionnaire. Bayesian linear mixed effects models were used to examine the relationships between ACEs, acute stress, WM, and frontal theta and alpha frequencies. Findings suggest there is not enough evidence to support a relationship between acute stress, ACEs, WM, and WM-related theta and alpha. While the current study did not reveal a relationship, future research should explore how acute stress and exposure to specific stressors during childhood could explain individual differences in WM.

Research has found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with changes in both parenting stress and cortisol. Resilience-building interventions may be able to help diminish the effects of ACEs, thus impacting parenting stress and cortisol reactivity. This study aims to examine how two resilience-building interventions (emotion-based and behavior-based) will impact parenting stress and cortisol reactivity in mothers with ACEs. This project is in the preliminary stages of data collection; as such, this honors thesis will review the relevant literature, describe current methodology and proposed analyses, and discuss possible implications and future directions. Participants (goal N=100) undergo a pre-assessment where parenting stress and cortisol reactivity are measured. Participants are then randomly assigned to receive an emotion-based curriculum (goal n= 50) or behavior-based curriculum (goal n=50) for 8 weeks. After completing their curriculum, participants’ parenting stress and cortisol reactivity will be reassessed. Participants from both resilience-building interventions are hypothesized to have a reduction in parenting stress and cortisol reactivity, but participants who received the emotion-based curriculum are predicted to have greater reductions. Additionally, it is hypothesized that changes in parenting stress will be correlated with changes in cortisol reactivity, so participants with greater reductions in parenting stress are anticipated to have greater reductions in cortisol reactivity.

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The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the perceptions of the impact of trauma-informed care training in three Appalachian elementary schools. Childhood adversity can negatively affect a student’s experience in the classroom (van der Kolk, 2014; Ogata, 2019) with findings showing an estimate of one half to two-thirds of children experiencing at least one traumatic event before the age of 18 (CDC, 2016; Finkelhor, 2015; McInerney & McKlindon, 2021). Trauma, an event or occurrence that causes great distress by exposure to physical or psychological abuse, violence, crime, has been linked to academic failure, various illnesses, both physical and mental, substance abuse, and criminal behavior, and may impact concentration, memory, language skills and organization, which are considered necessary traits to achieve academic success (Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorder, n.d.; Liberman et al., 2011; Ogata, 2012). Trauma can also affect social, self-regulation, and relational skills as well as cognitive abilities (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2016). As reported by O’Neill et al. (2010), these situations should be addressed through proper trauma education and training which include intervention strategies. The trauma-informed care (TIC) approach is a strengths-based framework based on the awareness of the impact of trauma that takes a universal precaution approach, emphasizing safety and reestablish control (Huckshor & LeBel, 2013).

No description available.