Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adolescent Exposure to Violence

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are relatively common and can lead to harmful outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. The current study investigates the relationship between ACEs and exposure to violence in adolescence, an important area of research given the high rates of victimization in adolescence and the need for evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce the negative consequences of victimization. The study also examines sex differences in the effects of ACEs, given that some research finds that the prevalence and impact of ACEs vary for females and males. Research questions were analyzed using prospective data from 766 to 773 high-risk youth and caregivers participating in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). A total of 10 ACEs were assessed, including five types of child maltreatment measured using official data from child protective services agencies and five types of household dysfunction reported primarily by caregivers. Exposure to three types of violence (verbal intimidation, physical victimization, and witnessing violence) were measured using youth self-reports. Logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between the number of ACEs experienced before age 12 and the likelihood of violence exposure from ages 15 to 18. Youth experiencing more ACEs had a significantly greater likelihood of physical victimization (with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.15), but not intimidation (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.10) or witnessing violence (AOR = 1.11). Sex did not significantly moderate these relationships, but in sex-specific analyses, ACEs significantly increased intimidation and victimization for girls and witnessing violence for boys. Although the findings showed inconsistent evidence of a relationship between ACEs and exposure to violence, they support the need for interventions to reduce ACEs and their impact on exposure to violence during adolescence.