Abstract
This study aimed to investigate alternative approaches to a cumulative risk score in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and crime. Using data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort (n = 3236), we measured 12 ACEs up to 15 years, and past-year violent and non-violent crime at 22 years. We used four analytical approaches: single adversities, cumulative risk, latent class analysis, and network analysis. When examined individually, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and domestic violence were associated with both crime outcomes, whereas maternal mental illness and discrimination were associated with violent crime only, and parental divorce and poverty with non-violent crime only. There was a cumulative effect of ACEs on crime. The class with child maltreatment and household challenges was associated with both crime outcomes; exposure to household challenges and social risks was associated with violent crime only. In network models, crime showed conditional associations with physical abuse, maternal mental illness, and parental divorce. Although cumulative ACEs did associate with crime, some individual and combinations of ACEs showed particularly strong and robust effects, which were not captured by the cumulative score. Many ACEs are closely connected and/or cluster together, and the usefulness of the ACE score needs to be further evaluated.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 115809 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Psychiatry Research |
| Volume | 334 |
| Early online date | 19 Feb 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This article is based on data from the study “Pelotas Birth Cohort, 1993” conducted by the Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology at Universidade Federal de Pelotas with the collaboration of the Brazilian Public Health Association (ABRASCO). From 2004 to 2013, the Wellcome Trust supported the 1993 birth cohort study. The European Union, the National Support Program for Centers of Excellence (PRONEX), the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq), and the Brazilian Ministry of Health supported previous phases of the study. The 22-year follow-up was supported by the Science and Technology Department/Brazilian Ministry of Health, with resources transferred through the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), grant 400943/2013–1. Lastly, analyses were supported in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1164115). This research was funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust [Grant number 210735_A_18_Z]. Gemma Hammerton was supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship (grant number 209138/Z/17/Z). For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors.
