Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to increased mental health problems in children, but their association with mental health services utilization is not well known. This secondary analysis used 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health data from two samples: children aged 6-17-years-old with a mental or behavioral condition in need of treatment or counseling (N = 5,723); and a subsample of children who experienced at least one ACE (n = 3,812). Multiple logistic regression and latent class analysis (LCA) were performed to examine the association between ACEs and mental health services utilization. Multiple logistic regressions also examined the associations of parent/caretaker vulnerability, school-system, and medical-system factors on mental health services utilization for children with ACEs using the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and a Systems of Care approach as the framework for model building. Children with increased ACE scores did not have higher odds of utilizing mental health services compared to children at lower levels of or no ACEs. For children who experienced adversity, increased parent/caretaker vulnerability was associated with lower odds and the current receipt of special education services with increased odds of mental health services utilization in adjusted models. Strengths of this study included the large dataset and generalizability to the U.S. population. There were limitations to the measurement of ACEs and other key variables. The current study identified children who experienced adversity as an underserviced population for mental health services.

Background: For decades, researchers have been striving to better understand the complex mix of factors underlying post-combat mental illness, in the hope of enabling better outcomes for military personnel. This study focuses on investigating the behavior and possible interaction of two risk factors for poor mental health post-deployment to a combat mission: adverse childhood experience (ACE) and deployment-related stressful experience (DRSE). Methods: A longitudinal dataset linking data from 3302 military personnel at recruitment to data collected post-deployment to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan was analysed, using novel scoring systems for exposure classification. Results: Significant ACE-DRSE interaction terms were found in relation to SF-36 MCS, depression and suicidal ideation: the negative effect DRSE had on mental health outcomes was amplified as ACE levels increased. Conclusion: Individuals with a history of childhood adversity are more susceptible to the negative mental health impacts of stressful experiences during deployment to a combat zone.

Child centered play therapy (CCPT) is a therapeutic intervention that provides the environment for children to work through and heal from difficult experiences through expression of play and therapeutic relationship. It has been demonstrated effective with multiple types of disruptive behaviors. I conducted single-case research to explore CCPT's influence on children who had four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and provided analysis of data collected from one assessment administered weekly and one assessment at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children. The two participants (one 8-year-old White American male and one 9-year-old White American female) demonstrated significant improvement in total difficulties and prosocial behaviors. The study revealed potential therapeutic benefits for utilizing CCPT with children who had four or more ACEs. Encompassed in discussion of study results are implications for practice, suggestions for future research, and limitations.

A definitive association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and negative physical and mental health outcomes has been established. There is evidence that individuals in forensic psychiatric facilities are disproportionately exposed to ACEs, which may impact severity, prognosis, and age of onset of psychiatric symptoms, including behavioral concerns of institutional aggression, self-harm behaviors, and suicide attempts. Such psychiatric and behavioral concerns are often managed through multiple psychotropic prescriptions, leading to psychotropic polypharmacy. This study evaluated the relationship between ACEs, mental health and behavioral concerns, and psychotropic polypharmacy through analysis of archival data from a forensic inpatient psychiatric facility. A total of 182 patients met inclusion criteria. Through a comprehensive record review, ACE scores, mental health outcomes, behavioral concerns, and prescription practices were ascertained and subjected to a series of regression analyses. Results indicate that the current participants experience greater prevalence of ACEs and mental health outcomes, as well as higher rates of psychotropic polypharmacy. These relationships are mediated by history of self-harm behaviors. The higher polypharmacy rates yield greater negative side effects with the need to manage with additional medications. Taken as a whole, ACEs are a relevant consideration, as childhood adversity may lead to a lifetime of difficulty with managing emotional distress and symptoms of psychopathology. Pharmacological treatment may be necessary, particularly with those who experience more complex mental health outcomes. However, a primary focus on psychotropic intervention can result in high rates of medications and polypharmacy with significant side effects. Incorporation of non-pharmacological intervention should be a primary consideration with forensic inpatients to circumvent the potential for psychotropic polypharmacy and related negative consequences.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with maladaptive outcomes, including difficulties with emotion regulation (ER). ER difficulties, in turn, increase risk for experiencing physical and mental health problems. Parental emotion socialization is one factor that has been associated with ER skills across development. No known studies, however, have examined whether parental emotion socialization moderates the relationship between ACEs and ER difficulties. In the current study, undergraduates (N = 678) completed questionnaires about their history of ACEs, parental emotion socialization experiences, and current ER difficulties. Correlational results indicated a positive correlation between ACEs and ER difficulties. Results of the hierarchical multiple regression analyses found a significant moderation effect only within the context of distress reaction (DR) parenting. Results suggested that the link between ACEs and adult ER difficulties was stronger in the context of low to moderate DR parenting and relatively weak in circumstances of high DR parenting.

Social health is an important predictor of overall health. Yet, it is an often neglected area of research. Strikingly, social connectedness is associated with a 50% reduction in risk of early death. While a plethora of research evidence supports the beneficial impact of nature exposure on physical and mental health, literature regarding the beneficial impact of nature exposure on social health is scant. In fact, no research to date has investigated the causal influence of nature exposure on social motivation, a construct comprised here of three measures (State Motivation to Foster Social Connections, State Positive Affect, and State Anxiety). The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine the effects of virtual nature exposure on state social motivation, and 2) to investigate adverse childhood experiences as a moderator of those effects. In this online study, adult participants (N = 444) aged 18 to 58 were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental video conditions (wilderness nature exposure, urban non-nature exposure, indoor non-nature exposure). After watching a 15-minute video, participants completed measures related to state social motivation. Results revealed a significant main effect of nature exposure on state social motivation. However, the effects of nature exposure on state social motivation were not significantly moderated by adverse childhood experiences. Results suggest that nature exposure may have a positive impact on the development and maintenance of social connections and should be explored further as a social health intervention aimed at improving overall health.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a certain set of abuse household dysfunction experiences that many children in the United States experience. Children who experience multiple ACEs are more likely to have negative mental and physical health issues as they grow older. These outcomes include ADHD, depression, cancer, heart disease, and early death. In this study, I examined the effectiveness of child centered play therapy (CCPT), a developmentally appropriate treatment modality, with children who have experienced two or more ACEs and who are also demonstrating inattention and impulsivity symptoms. Participants were 34 students from five Title 1 elementary schools in the southwest United States (28 males and 6 females; age range 5-8 years old with a mean age of 6.12). In the sample, participants were comprised of 29.4% African American (n = 10), 38.2% Caucasian (n = 13), 17.6% Hispanic/Latino (n = 6), and 14.7% identified as biracial (n = 5). Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group that received 16 CCPT 30-minute sessions twice a week (n = 17) or a waitlist control group (n = 17) that received treatment at the conclusion of the study. Using a factorial ANOVA, results indicated statistically significant improvement of CCPT treatment group over waitlist control group on the ADDES-4 School Total and the DOF Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Problems scale indicating that CCPT was an appropriate treatment model for children who have experienced ACEs and inattention and impulsivity symptoms.

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ACEs are traumatic life events occurring during childhood that can have negative effects. Common mental disorders that are diagnosed in childhood are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavior disorders, anxiety and depression. The associations between ACEs and such problems in children have not been significantly examined. There are protective factors that can help reduce the effects of exposure to ACEs that have not been fully explored. The purpose of this research study was to examine: 1) the prevalence of mental health outcomes in children; 2) the associations between ACEs, resilience and mental health outcomes; and 3) the role of resiliency as a moderating variable between ACEs and mental health outcomes. A secondary data analysis utilizing data from the 2018 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) was used to examine the proposed aims. The study population consisted of children between the ages of 3 and 17. Chi-square analyses were utilized, and logistic regression models were constructed. Weighted prevalence estimates were calculated. 8.6%, 6.9%, 8.0% and 3.7% currently had ADHD, behavioral disorders, anxiety and depression. The prevalence of each disorder was higher for older age, Whites, public insurance, single parent homes or homes without parents, caregivers with mental health problems and non-users of medical home. Children exposed to 4 or more ACEs had greater odds of ADHD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]= 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-2.72), behavioral disorders (aOR: 2.47; CI: 1.81-3.37), anxiety (aOR: 2.66; CI: 2.00-3.53) and the strongest relationship was seen with depression (aOR: 4.53; CI: 3.13-6.54). Individual resilience, family resilience and community resilience were associated with decreased odds of mental health outcomes and the strongest relationship was seen with individual resilience. There were significant interactions between exposure to ACEs and child resilience for ADHD (aOR: 0.14; CI: 0.08-0.23), current behavioral disorders (aOR: 0.10; CI: 0.06-0.16), anxiety and (aOR: 0.21; CI: 0.13-0.35) depression (aOR: 0.24; CI: 0.13-0.43) as well as significant interactions between ACE exposure and community resilience for depression (aOR: 0.25; CI: 0.10-0.61). The findings of this research have implications for the improvement of mental health diagnosis, promotion of resilient measures and future research.

Social health is an important predictor of overall health. Yet, it is an often neglected area of research. Strikingly, social connectedness is associated with a 50% reduction in risk of early death. While a plethora of research evidence supports the beneficial impact of nature exposure on physical and mental health, literature regarding the beneficial impact of nature exposure on social health is scant. In fact, no research to date has investigated the causal influence of nature exposure on social motivation, a construct comprised here of three measures (State Motivation to Foster Social Connections, State Positive Affect, and State Anxiety). The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine the effects of virtual nature exposure on state social motivation, and 2) to investigate adverse childhood experiences as a moderator of those effects. In this online study, adult participants (N = 444) aged 18 to 58 were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental video conditions (wilderness nature exposure, urban non-nature exposure, indoor non-nature exposure). After watching a 15-minute video, participants completed measures related to state social motivation. Results revealed a significant main effect of nature exposure on state social motivation. However, the effects of nature exposure on state social motivation were not significantly moderated by adverse childhood experiences. Results suggest that nature exposure may have a positive impact on the development and maintenance of social connections and should be explored further as a social health intervention aimed at improving overall health.