Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and adult attachment interview (AAI) in a non-clinical population

Childhood Adversities and Caregiving for Older Parents: Building Capacity for a Caring Society

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the relationships between childhood adversities and the provision of informal care for older parents in later life in China.

METHODS

The data came from 4 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 20,047). Using multilevel logistic regression models, we examined the relationships between adverse experiences in childhood and both the propensity and intensity of caregiving for older parents. Drawing on the regression results, we then estimated the total number of caregivers for older parents in China.

RESULTS

Experiencing 1 additional childhood adversity was associated with a decrease of 8% in the odds of providing informal care (p < .001). The association between childhood adversity and caregiving remained significant after sociodemographic factors and later-life outcomes were controlled for. We estimated that 58.3 million middle-aged adults in China were providing care for parents in 2020. Had people experienced 1 fewer adversity in their childhood, there would have been 2.2 million more caregivers in 2020. Had they experienced 2 fewer adversities, there would have been 3.4 million more caregivers.

DISCUSSION

The factors associated with informal caregiving can be traced back to early-life experiences. To address the shortage of informal care supply, it is crucial to foster a caring culture from the very beginning of human development.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Associated With Personality Disorder: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study

There is a lack of studies that have prospectively examined adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in association with a personality disorder (PD). Data from a sample of 8,199 adolescents first assessed for ACEs were linked with subsequent data from the Norwegian Patient Register in order to obtain diagnoses of a PD in adulthood (after a 14-year follow-up). We used logistic regression analysis. Any type of ACE gave a 3.8-fold higher risk of developing a PD. Abuse, more specifically emotional abuse, came out as one of the strongest predictors. Of the adolescents who developed a PD, approximately 90% had a history of ACE. The results of this study support the importance of assessing ACEs, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, in the diagnostic procedure and treatment for PD.

Childhood traumatic experiences in people with obesity with and without eating disorders who are seeking bariatric surgery: the role of attachment relationships and family functioning

PURPOSE

The present study examines the impact of traumatic childhood experiences in people with obesity seeking bariatric surgery. It considers the presence of eating disorders (ED) in the population with obesity and tests the role of attachment and family relationships as mediators of the relationship between traumatic events and ED.

METHOD

110 participants with severe obesity and 98 participants of a healthy weight (control group) filled out The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV).

RESULTS

Comparing the two groups on psychological variables, higher scores in the CTQ Emotional neglect and ASQ insecure attachment scales emerged in the control group than the group with obesity. Considering the presence/absence of an ED only in the group with obesity, and comparing these subgroups, higher scores in traumatic experiences emerged in the individuals with obesity and with ED than the individuals with obesity without ED. Moreover, participants with ED scored higher in ASQ insecure attachment and had lower levels of flexibility in family functioning than the group without ED. Finally, Logistic Regression models showed that insecure anxious attachment and dysfunctional familial relationships affected the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and the presence of ED in the group with obesity.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest the importance focusing on psychosocial factors linked to obesity, specifically on attachment styles and familial relationships as emotion regulation strategies, since the impact of traumatic childhood events on psychopathology could be ameliorated by an individual's ability to rely on a significant attachment figure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Acculturation, and Risky Sexual Behaviors in Hispanic Young Adults: Findings from Project RED

While adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are well-documented predictors of maladaptive behaviors in adulthood, including risky sexual behaviors (RSB), the influence of acculturation in this association remains unknown. Although Hispanics are a rapidly growing population in the United States and are disproportionately affected by adverse sexual health outcomes, there is a paucity of research examining the interplay of ACE, acculturation, and RSB in this population. We observed the ACE-RSB association and how this relationship varies across U.S. and Hispanic acculturation levels, in a sample of Hispanic young adults (n = 715). Data for this study were from Project RED, a longitudinal study of Hispanic health. We ran regression models to test associations between ACE (0, 1-3, 4+) and several RSB (e.g., early sexual initiation (≤14 years), condomless sex, lifetime sexual partners, and alcohol/drug use before intercourse), and assessed moderation by U.S./Hispanic acculturation. Compared with those without ACE, individuals with 4 + ACE had higher odds of early sexual initiation (AOR: 2.23), alcohol/drug use before last intercourse (AOR: 2.31), and condomless sex (AOR: 1.66), as well as a higher number of lifetime sexual partners (β: 0.60). For those reporting 4 + ACE, high U.S. acculturation was protective in the association between ACE and using alcohol/drugs before intercourse. Future research implications are discussed.

"There's more love between us": The parental experience of attending Mellow Babies, a targeted, early intervention program for parents and their babies

It is recognized that parenthood in the context of psychosocial adversity can have negative implications for infant development. Parenting programs are the first line of intervention to improve outcomes for families; however, evidence for the effectiveness of group-based, targeted early interventions is still scarce. Preliminary findings indicate Mellow Babies (MB) as a promising group-based parenting program for families at risk for parenting difficulties. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to understand: (i) the aspects of the intervention that enabled parents to complete the program and (ii) the relational and behavioral changes perceived as valuable for parents and their babies post-intervention. In total, 68 parents residing in the United Kingdom were interviewed after completing MB (49 mothers and 19 fathers; 88% self-identified as British). Three themes and six subthemes were generated from the data. Parents identified several intervention components as beneficial, including the facilitators' interpersonal skills and multi-dimensional, group-based approach. Participant reflections highlighted three underlying mechanisms that enabled positive change: (i) the sense of community cultivated within the group, (ii) the process of formulating and re-conceptualizing one's difficulties, and (iii) the opportunity to reshape interpersonal interactions. Findings are discussed within the context of perinatal and infant mental health.

Does Loneliness Mediate the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Pain Catastrophizing Among Women?

Most adults in the United States report experiencing at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), with around a quarter of the population reporting three or more. ACEs impact adult biological (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) and psychosocial (e.g., loneliness) functioning, including cognitive patterns in stressful situations. As one example, pain catastrophizing is an emotional and cognitive reaction to pain that is closely related to low distress tolerance. We hypothesized that women with more ACEs would report greater levels of pain catastrophizing in adulthood, an effect potentially mediated via higher levels of loneliness (i.e., perceived lack of social support). Biologically female participants (N=109; 39.8±14.0 years of age; 83.5% white) were recruited through Mechanical Turk and a university online recruitment tool, and completed an online survey including demographics, the 10-item Adverse Childhood Events Scale, the 13-item Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3. A bootstrapped mediation analysis examined the relationships between ACEs and pain catastrophizing via loneliness. Results indicated that loneliness had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between ACEs and pain catastrophizing (indirect effect=0.69; 99% CI=0.15-1.40) such that increased ACEs were related to greater loneliness, which, in turn, was related to greater pain catastrophizing. The present study adds to the literature by suggesting that loneliness is a possible mechanism by which ACEs adversely impact cognitive and emotional well-being in adulthood. Per social cognitive theory, loneliness influences social cognitions, which might make dealing with stressful situations such as pain more difficult and, therefore, increase one's catastrophic thinking patterns.

Assessment of Unresolved/Disorganized State of Mind in Relation to Attachment: A ROC Curve Study Using the Adult Attachment Interview and the Measure of Parental Style

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the present study was to use the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to identify cut-off points for a self-report measure assessing parental style, i.e., the Measure of Parental Style (MOPS), that are able to discriminate individuals with disorganized internal working models (IWMs) of attachment with adequate accuracy, in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Establishing cut-off points for the MOPS could provide clinicians and researchers with a valuable tool to investigate the role of disorganized IWMs as a link between parental styles and mental health.

METHOD

A sample of 90 university students (mean age = 21.21 ± 2.05, females = 66) was enrolled in the study. We used the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) to assess disorganized IWM and the MOPS to assess parental styles. Subsequently, we used ROC curve analysis to pursue the objective of the study.

RESULTS

The ROC curve analysis showed that the MOPS total score (i.e., the combination of maternal and paternal dimensions) was able to discriminate individuals with disorganized IWMs from individuals with organized IWMs (AUC= 0.77). Specifically, a score ≥ 25 (Youden index= 0.497) categorized individuals with a sensitivity of 0.69 (69% of participants with disorganized IWMs were correctly identified) and a specificity of 0.81 (19% of participants were incorrectly identified as having disorganized IWMs).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the AAI has demonstrated high psychometric properties for assessing attachment representations in adulthood, its use is difficult when studies with large samples are to be conducted. As an alternative to the AAI, the MOPS can be used in studies with large populations, but no cut-off has yet been proposed. Here, we have identified cut-off points for the MOPS that are capable of detecting disorganized IWMs of attachment with adequate accuracy, and we suggest that this self-report is a useful brief instrument for detecting disorganized IWMs when time constraints prevent the use of the AAI (e.g., in studies with large samples or epidemiological studies).

Do childhood adversity and sensory processing sensitivity interact to predict meaningful activity engagement in adulthood?

Introduction

A core tenet of occupational therapy is that engagement in meaningful activities is integral for a person’s health and wellbeing. Childhood adversity can have lifelong impacts on physical and mental health; however, the effects of childhood experiences are dependent on the presence of susceptibility factors, including sensory processing sensitivity. To date, the effects of childhood adversity and sensory processing sensitivity have not been investigated for meaningful activity engagement. This study seeks to determine whether childhood adversity is related to engagement in meaningful activities in adulthood and whether this relationship is moderated by sensory processing sensitivity.

Method

Using convenience snowball sampling, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 328 adults. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Risky Families Questionnaire, Highly Sensitive Person Scale and Engagement in Meaningful Activities Scale.

Results

Correlational analyses found that childhood adversity was related to significantly less meaningful activity engagement in adulthood, but this relationship was not moderated by sensory processing sensitivity.

Conclusion

This study showed, for the first time, that a history of childhood adversity is linked to less engagement in meaningful activities in adulthood. While further research is needed, supporting meaningful activity engagement may be necessary for adults who experienced childhood adversity.

Childhood Sexual Abuse and Coping as Young Adults: The Roles of Attachment and Mattering

This study examined whether a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), attachment to mother, father, and friends, and mattering were related to the coping behaviors of 171 male and 85 female, ethnically diverse, low-income, young adults. The 74 survivors of CSA reported lower attachment to father and less mattering to parents than did the 97 who reported no abuse. Compared to male survivors, female survivors reported greater use of problem-focused coping and also perceived their abuse experience, particularly the use of force, as having a more negative impact on them. Stronger attachment to mother and to friends predicted more positive problem-focused coping. Mattering to friends moderated the relation between CSA history and problem-focused coping, with the CSA survivors who reported the highest mattering to friends also using the most problem-focused coping strategies. The role of attachment and mattering in problem-focused coping among young adults, especially those with a CSA history, is discussed.

Childhood Environmental Instability and Social-Emotional Outcomes in Emerging Adults

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can negatively affect social-emotional functioning. The association between individual and cumulative ACEs and social-emotional domains of self-esteem, loneliness, and negotiation in intimate partner relationships has not been explored in low-risk emerging adults, a gap this study aims to fill. An online survey was administered to undergraduate emerging adults, ages 18 to 25 years (M_age = 19.73, SD = 1.83; N = 436; 20.60% Hispanic; 63.80% female). The ACEs Survey, Child Abuse Potential Inventory, and Conflict Tactics Scale-2nd Edition were used. Three multivariate ordinary least squares regressions were run, each including predictors significant in bivariate analyses and outcomes of self-esteem, loneliness, and negotiation for each regression. Emotional abuse, B = -.20, p < .01; emotional neglect, B = -.21, p < .001; and substance using family member, B = -.12, p < .05, were negatively associated with self-esteem; emotional neglect, B = .11, p < .01, and cumulative ACEs, B = .16, p < .01, were positively associated with loneliness; and incarcerated family member was positively associated with negotiation, B = .12, p < .05. Overall, these findings suggest that individual ACEs associated with environmental instability (e.g., emotional abuse) are strong predictors of social-emotional outcomes, relative to ACEs associated with more direct physical harm (e.g., sexual abuse).

Decreased brain network global efficiency after attachment memories retrieval in individuals with unresolved/disorganized attachment-related state of mind

The main aim of the study was to examine how brain network metrics change after retrieval of attachment memories in individuals with unresolved/disorganized (U/D) attachment-related state of mind and those with organized/resolved (O/R) state of mind. We focused on three main network metrics associated with integration and segregation: global (E_glob) efficiency for the first function, local (E_loc) efficiency and modularity for the second. We also examined assortativity and centrality metrics. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were performed before and after the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) in a sample of 50 individuals previously assessed for parenting quality. Functional connectivity matrices were constructed by means of the exact Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (eLORETA) software and then imported into MATLAB to compute brain network metrics. Compared to individuals with O/R attachment-related state of mind, those with U/D show a significant decrease in beta E_glob after AAI. No statistically significant difference among groups emerged in E_loc and modularity metrics after AAI, neither in assortativity nor in betweenness centrality. These results may help to better understand the neurophysiological patterns underlying the disintegrative effects of retrieving traumatic attachment memories in individuals with disorganized state of mind in relation to attachment.

ATTACHMENT AND MEMORY STABILITY

Previous studies confirm that attachment representations are very stable and are rooted in semantic and episodic autobiographic memory systems. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) provides a means to assess secure, insecure, and disorganized (U) states of mind; it incorporates a fine-grained analysis of attachment-related memories. The AAI is not a measure to determine false versus true memories or to claim it can identify veridical truth; however, longitudinal research studies demonstrate that the AAI is highly stable in how (degree of coherence) the speaker discusses past events. This IRB approved study (n = 130) examined a non-clinical sample of active individuals. The results indicated that passive states of mind was a predictor variable for unresolved loss and unresolved childhood abuse and both passive states of mind and more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) predicted overall lack of resolution (U). Lack of memory and dissociative amnesia were not significant predictors. This study and previous studies demonstrate that retrospective reporting of ACEs remain stable over time. These findings suggest that clinical focus should follow the attachment protocol of examining the state of mind of the speaker. Autobiographical memory systems reveal enduring Internal Working Models (IWMs) that influence how memories are stored and recounted.

Predictors of Parental Coping During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Survey in Germany

The Covid-19 pandemic has been profoundly affecting nearly everybody, but families with minors have been hit particularly. Closure of schools and kindergartens, home schooling, and working from home have led to a profound upheaval in family life. Parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are an important determinant for parenting behavior. Importantly, ACEs can increase the vulnerability to stress and impair coping strategies. The current pandemic leads to increased parental stress, a risk factor for harsh parenting behavior, Therefore, we aimed to assess the role of ACEs and sociodemographic factors associated to parental coping during the current pandemic. In a cross-sectional online survey, 687 parents of minors in Germany were included. Demographic and psychosocial factors associated to parental coping during the first lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic were assessed. Results show that younger age of the respective child, income loss, dissatisfaction with the sharing of childcare duties, and ACEs were significantly associated with an increase of potential harmful parenting behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic. An increase of dissatisfaction with the sharing of childcare duties during the pandemic was predicted by working from home and taking care of the children mainly by oneself, while sharing childcare duties with the partner equally resulted even in an increase of satisfaction with sharing of childcare duties during the pandemic. These findings demonstrate that a history of childhood adversity in a parent is a risk factor for harmful parenting during the pandemic. Parental satisfaction with sharing of caregiving is an important factor for parental coping during the pandemic. Sharing of caregiving between partners should be encouraged.

The Influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Including the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Toxic Stress on Development and Health Outcomes of Latinx Children in the USA: a Review of the Literature

The purpose of this review is to synthesize existing literature to analyze the influence of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including the COVID-19 pandemic, and toxic stress on child development and lifelong health outcomes of Latinx children in the USA, utilizing the ACE framework. Without adequate protective factors, children’s early experiences with adversity and toxic stress have implications for their physiological, psychological, and social health. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown to exacerbate childhood adversity and toxic stress and has disproportionately harmed Latinx communities. In applying the ACE framework to US-Latinx populations, relevant findings concerning a potential failure of ACEs to accurately capture Latinx experiences of adversity were highlighted, as well as the need to classify the COVID-19 pandemic as an ACE. Research suggest that first-generation Latinx immigrants report lower-than-average rates of ACEs despite the various disparities ethnic minorities face in the USA. A discussion on whether this health paradox arises because of the failure of ACEs to properly identify adverse experiences unique to immigrants or if it is related with immigrant families’ protective cultural factors. The compounding experiences of discrimination, immigration anxieties, and now also pandemic-related hardship that have the potential to harm Latinx children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development were highlighted. Evidence-based interventions that were discussed in this report include promotion of resiliency through healthy adult relationships, policies that screen for ACEs early on in a child’s life, trauma-informed care and innovative treatment programs, and strengthening existing protective services through financial and political support.

Attachment anxiety as mediator of the relationship between childhood trauma and personality dysfunction in borderline personality disorder

Insecure attachment has been described as mediating the relationship between childhood trauma and dysfunctional personality traits in different mental disorders. Despite the role insecure attachment and childhood trauma have independently demonstrated to play as determinants of borderline personality disorder, less is known about the mediating mechanisms explaining these associations. For the first time, we assessed adult attachment, childhood trauma and dimensional personality pathology in a sample of outpatients with borderline personality disorder and tested whether the association between childhood trauma and personality dysfunction was at least partially attributable to insecure attachment. The results showed that attachment anxiety fully mediated the relationship between specific types of trauma (emotional abuse and physical neglect) and emotional dysregulation. Further, emotional abuse was both directly associated with dissocial behaviour and indirectly via attachment anxiety (partial mediation). Emotional abuse has been described as an essential environmental factor for the development of borderline personality disorder and emotional dysregulation, on its part, as the core feature of the condition. Our results indicate that attachment anxiety explains the link between these central aspects of borderline personality disorder. Our findings are consistent with previous research and current etiological understanding of the condition and provide support for recommending a careful assessment of childhood traumatic experiences and adult attachment style to gain a more comprehensive insight into the symptoms and its heterogeneity. As a secondary aim, we assessed the effect parental mental illness may have in these mediation models, but no significant influence on childhood trauma, attachment or personality was found.

A latent profile analysis of adverse childhood experiences and adult health in a community sample

BACKGROUND

Childhood adversity is generally associated with adult mental health problems, but most studies have an insufficient sample size to examine relationships among various aspects of childhood adversity and adult mental health outcomes. Further, past research has predominantly been restricted to a single or limited types of adverse events, which ignores the inherent interdependence among childhood adversity indicators.

OBJECTIVE

The current study explored various configurations of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and then examined the relationships among these configurations and various mental health constructs with a person-centered analytic framework.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A sample of 3, 932 adult outpatients was recruited in primary care settings, during regular physician visits.

METHODS

Participants provided informed consent, demographic information, and then completed validated measure of ACEs (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, family dysfunction), and a series of validated mental health measures.

RESULTS

Latent profile analyses revealed four configurations (or profiles) of ACEs, which were analysed for their relationships with mental health outcomes. The profile with a dominance of physical neglect was associated with the highest levels of anxiety and depression. The profiles with high levels of sexual abuse, either alone or combined with general adversity, had more emotional problems than the profile with low levels of adversity. The profiles characterizing mistreatment did not consistently differ from each other on the mental health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

It is critical to consider ACEs in their complex relationship with each other. Different patterns of ACEs are associated with differential health outcomes in adults.

Adverse Childhood Experiences are associated with choice of partner, both partners' relationship and psychosocial health as reported one year after birth of a common child. A cross-sectional study

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are common and known to have consequences for individuals' adult health, leading to a higher risk of illness. The aims of the study were to investigate the ACEs in couples, to examine the extent of assortative mating and to investigate the association between the relationship of the load of ACEs within couples and health outcomes, one year after the birth of a common child. At antenatal clinics in Sweden 818 couples were recruited and investigated one year after the birth of a common child answering a questionnaire including the exposure to ten ACE categories and several outcome variables. In total, 59% of both mothers and partners reported exposure to at least one of the ten ACE categories. Among the mothers 11% and among the partners 9% reported exposure to ≥4 ACE categories (p = 0.12). There was a correlation between the numbers of ACE categories reported by the mothers and their partners (Spearman's ρ = 0.18, p<0.001). This association pertained to six of the ten ACE categories. In multiple logistic regression analyses, there were associations between the ACE exposure load and unfavourable outcomes among the mothers, the partners and within the couples. Unfavourable outcomes concerning health were most prominent in couples where both members reported exposures to ≥4 ACE categories (self-rated bad health (OR 13.82; CI 2.75-69.49), anxiety (OR 91.97; CI 13.38-632.07), depression (OR 17.42; CI 2.14-141.78) and perceived stress (OR 11.04; CI 2.79-43.73)). Mothers exposed to ACEs tend to have partners also exposed to ACEs. Exposure to ACEs was associated with bad health and unfavourable life conditions within the couples, especially among couples where both members reported exposure to multiple ACEs. These results should stimulate incentives to find, to support and to treat individuals and couples where both members report multiple ACEs. The consequences for the children should be further studied as well as how these families should be treated in health care and society.

Is the psychological impact of exposure to COVID-19 stronger in adolescents with pre-pandemic maltreatment experiences? A survey of rural Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

Since the COVID-19 outbreak at the end of 2019, it has evolved into a global pandemic with tremendous mental health impact besides the threats to people's physical health.

OBJECTIVE

The aims were to examine whether exposure to COVID-19 predicts elevated levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms and whether pre-pandemic maltreatment experiences exacerbate this impact on mental health in adolescents.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The survey was conducted online from February 8 st to February 27th, 2020, and the questionnaires were distributed and retrieved through a web-based platform. This study includes a total of 6196 subjects, aged range from 11 to 18 years old.

METHODS

Several multivariable linear regressions were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

The largest variance in PTSS and anxiety problems was explained by ACEs, with more pre-pandemic maltreatment experiences predicting more PTSS (effect size beta = 0.16∼0.27), and more anxiety (effect size beta = 0.32∼0.47). Experienced or subjective fear of exposure to COVID-19 predicted statistically significant variance in PTSS and anxiety, and standardized betas ranged from 0.04 to 0.09. Participants who had adverse childhood experiences and had experienced exposure to COVID-19 showed elevated PTSS.

CONCLUSIONS

After pre-pandemic maltreatment experiences the impact of exposure to COVID-19 on mental health may be stronger. Scars from the past seem to be vulnerabilities during societal upheaval. We therefore suggest that when exposed to COVID-19 rural adolescents should get prioritized professional family support and mental health counseling in particular when they have experienced family abuse and neglect in childhood, even though such support is more difficult to organize in rural areas.

Pathways linking adverse environments to emerging adults' substance abuse and depressive symptoms: A prospective analysis of rural African American men

For African American emerging adult men, developmental challenges are evident in their escalating substance abuse and depressive symptoms; this is particularly true for men from low-resource communities. The present study tests a developmental model linking childhood adversity and contemporaneous contextual stressors to increases in emerging adults' substance use and depressive symptoms, indirectly, via increases in defensive/hostile relational schemas and social developmental risk factors (e.g., risky peers and romantic partners, lack of involvement in school or work). We also advance exploratory hypotheses regarding DNA methylation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) as a moderator of the effects of stress on relational schemas. Hypotheses were tested with three waves of data from 505 rural African American men aged 19-25 years. Adverse childhood experiences predicted exposure to emerging adult contextual stressors. Contextual stressors forecast increases in defensive/hostile relational schemas, which increased social developmental risk factors. Social developmental risk factors proximally predicted increases in substance abuse and depressive symptoms. OXTR DNA methylation moderated the effects of contextual stressors on defensive/hostile relational schemas. Findings suggest that early exposures to stress carry forward to affect the development of social developmental risk factors in emerging adulthood, which place rural African American men at risk for increased substance abuse and depressive symptoms during the emerging adult years.

Adverse childhood experiences among early care and education teachers: Prevalence and associations with observed quality of classroom social and emotional climate

This study examines the prevalence of self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among a sample of 349 early care and education teachers. Seventy-three percent of the sample reported experiencing at least one ACE and 22% reported experiencing 4 or more ACEs. Live observational assessments of the quality of the social and emotional climate in teacher's classrooms were conducted for a subsample of 58 teachers. Within this subsample, reporting a higher number of ACEs was associated with facilitating a lower quality social and emotional classroom climate. Individual ACEs were also examined. Teachers who reported experiencing incarceration of a family member, physical abuse, or emotional abuse were observed to facilitate a lower quality social and emotional classroom climate. This study provides preliminary insight into the prevalence of ACEs among members of the early care and education workforce. Further, it extends previous work examining the multi-generational impacts of ACEs within families by showing that ACEs may influence the care that is provided to children in childcare settings.