ACEs are not equal: Examining the relative impact of household dysfunction versus childhood maltreatment on mental health in adolescence

摘要

Rationale: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have shown substantial effects on health across the lifespan. However, many studies on this topic discount the individual items as well as the distinction between household dysfunction and maltreatment experiences. Objective: The current study examined individual ACEs items as well as the relative contribution of the household dysfunction scale versus the childhood maltreatment scale for predicting mental health outcomes in adolescence. Lastly, we examined the utility of a cut-off score for ACEs in predicting mental health.