Given the public health crisis of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in childhood and adolescence, and the potential lifelong repercussions, this study sought to identify significant predictors of a high self-rating for having experienced ACEs in childhood/adolescence with Hispanic/Latinx adults (n=292) with 55.8% female and 81.5% U.S. born with a mean age of 33 years.
Some 52.5% presented moderately high to extremely high levels of race-related stress due to being Hispanic/Latinx; 63.6% experienced moderate to very severe toxic stress in childhood/adolescence and, 66.1% in the past year; 82.6% reported depression, 87% anxiety, and 86.2% trauma during childhood/adolescence; and, 83.1% reported depression, 89.7% anxiety, and 81.1% trauma for the past year. The study introduced the Knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey (KACES-20) finding a moderate level of knowledge with deficits regarding how ACEs in childhood/adolescence can place individuals at risk later in life for type 2 diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure.
An ACEs video was included in the study with over 90% recommending the KACES-20 and ACEs video to others; and, together these brief online e-health interventions were associated with significant increases in knowledge of ACEs and self-efficacy for the ability to recognize ACEs in children/adolescents. After taking the KACES-20 and watching the ACEsvideo, 94.6% revealed experiencing ACEs during childhood/adolescence. Having more severe experiences of ACEs was significantly predicted by male gender, higher race-related stress due to being Hispanic/Latinx, higher toxic stress in childhood/adolescence, higher mental distress in childhood/adolescence and the past year, and a higher KACES-20 score.
Findings highlight the value of the KACES-20 and ACEs video as brief online e-health interventions, and the important contribution of a new methodology for investigating experiences of ACEs in childhood/adolescence without causing discomfort or re-traumatization. These findings have particular value as contributions to the literature, while focusing on the neglected Hispanic/Latinx population, especially at this historic time of a pandemic and post-pandemic era when ACEs have risen; and, there is an urgent need for tools for prevention and intervention. This study has provided evidence for using the KACES-20 and ACEs video, as well as the study measures for prevention and future research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:columbia.edu/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/ezbe-dz04 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Alfano, Lucia Judith |
| Source Sets | Columbia University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Theses |
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