Are Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated With Being in the System of Care?

Miriama Lackova Rebicova; Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska; Andrea Madarasova Geckova; Danielle E M C Jansen; Jitse P van Dijk; Sijmen A Reijneveld

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.909737

Are Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated With Being in the System of Care?

Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 24:13:909737. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.909737. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Miriama Lackova Rebicova^{1

2

3}, Zuzana Dankulincova Veselska^{1

2

3}, Andrea Madarasova Geckova^{1

2

3

4}, Danielle E M C Jansen⁵, Jitse P van Dijk^{2

3

6}, Sijmen A Reijneveld³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University, Kosice, Slovakia.
² Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Kosice, Slovakia.
³ Department of Community and Occupational Health, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
⁴ Institute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
⁵ Theoretical Sociology - Department Sociology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
⁶ Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czechia.

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can cause serious mental problems in adolescents and therefore may expected to be associated with higher use of psychosocial care, potentially varying by type of specific ACE. The aim of our study is to explore the association of the number of ACE and types of specific ACE with entering and using psychosocial care.

Methods: We used data from the Slovak Care4Youth cohort study, comprising 509 adolescents from 10 to 16 years old (mean age 13.2 years, 48.6% boys). We used logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, and family affluence to explore the associations of number and type of specific ACE with the use of psychosocial care.

Results: Having three or more ACE as well as experiencing some specific ACE (death of a mother/father, death of somebody else you love, problems of a parent with alcohol or drugs, conflicts or physical fights between parents, and separation/divorce of parents) increased the likelihood of using psychosocial care. Regarding experience with the death of somebody else you love, we found a decreased likelihood of the use of psychosocial care.

Conclusion: Experiencing ACE above a certain threshold (three or more) and parent-related ACE increase the likelihood of adolescent care use.

Keywords: adolescence; adverse childhood experiences; mental health; parent-related ACE; use of psychosocial care.