Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a salient risk factor for a myriad of negative outcomes. Extant theoretical and empirical models traditionally quantify the impact of ACEs using cumulative representations. Recent conceptualizations challenge this framework and theorize that the types of ACEs children are exposed to differentially impacts their future functioning.

Objective

The current study tested an integrated ACEs model using parent-report of child ACEs across four aims: (1) characterize heterogeneity in child ACEs using a latent class analysis (LCA); (2) examine mean level class differences in COVID specific and COVID non-specific environmental factors (i.e., COVID impact, ineffective parenting, effective parenting) and internalizing and externalizing problems during the COVID pandemic; (3) test interactions between COVID impact and ACEs classes in predicting outcomes, and (4) compare a cumulative risk approach to a class membership approach.

Participants and setting

A nationally representative sample of U.S. parents (N = 796; 51.8 % fathers, M age = 38.87 years, 60.3 % Non-Hispanic White) completed a cross-sectional survey about themselves and one child (5–16 years old) between February–April 2021.

Method

Measures of child's ACEs history, COVID impact, effective and ineffective parenting, and children's internalizing and externalizing problems were completed by parents.

Results

A LCA demonstrated three distinct classes of ACEs reflecting low-risk, trauma-risk, and environmental-risk classes. In general, the trauma-risk class had more negative COVID-19 outcomes than the other classes (small to large effect sizes).

Conclusions

The classes differentially related to outcomes, providing support for dimensions of ACEs and emphasizing the distinct types of ACEs.

中文翻译：

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测试不良童年经历的综合维度模型：与 COVID-19 结果的关联

背景

不良童年经历（ACE）是导致多种负面结果的一个显着风险因素。现有的理论和经验模型传统上使用累积表示来量化 ACE 的影响。最近的概念挑战了这一框架，并提出了这样的理论：儿童所接触的 ACE 类型对其未来的功能产生不同的影响。

客观的

当前的研究使用儿童 ACE 的家长报告测试了一个综合 ACE 模型，涉及四个目标：（1）使用潜在类别分析（LCA）表征儿童 ACE 的异质性；(2) 检查新冠病毒特定和新冠病毒非特定环境因素（即新冠病毒影响、无效养育、有效养育）的平均水平类别差异以及新冠大流行期间的内化和外化问题；(3) 测试 COVID 影响和 ACE 类别之间在预测结果方面的相互作用，以及 (4) 将累积风险方法与类别成员方法进行比较。

参加者及设置

具有全国代表性的美国父母样本（N  = 796；51.8% 为父亲，M年龄 = 38.87 岁，60.3% 非西班牙裔白人）在 2 月至2021 年 4 月。

方法

儿童的 ACE 历史、新冠病毒影响、有效和无效的养育方式以及儿童的内化和外化问题的测量均由家长完成。

结果

LCA 展示了三种不同的 ACE 类别，分别反映了低风险、创伤风险和环境风险类别。一般来说，创伤风险类别比其他类别（效应大小从小到大）有更多的负面 COVID-19 结果。

结论

这些类别与结果的相关性不同，为 ACE 的维度提供支持并强调 ACE 的不同类型。