Adverse childhood experiences and impact on quality of life in adulthood: development and validation of a short difficult childhood questionnaire in a large population-based health survey

Vederhus, John‐Kåre; Timko, Christine; Haugland, Siri Håvås

doi:10.1007/s11136-021-02761-0

Cited by 18 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…In a previous study, items 1, 3, and 4 were validated together in a short, Difficult Childhood questionnaire (DCQ). The discriminant and convergent validities of the tool were confirmed (16) in the same population that we analyzed in the current study.…”

Section: Adverse Childhood Experiencessupporting

confidence: 73%

“…Many previous ACE-related studies focused on mapping the types and frequencies of ACEs. In contrast, the present study invited participants to report selfperceptions of the consequences and severity of ACEs, which may be more relevant in assessing experiences that cause detrimental effects on adult perceptions of quality of life (6,16).…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adverse Childhood Experiences Among 28,047 Norwegian Adults From a General Population

Haugland

Dovran

Albæk

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Aim: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Norwegian adults from a general population and to identify potential associations with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.Methods: A randomly drawn sample (N = 61,611) from the public registry of inhabitants was invited to participate in the Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey. The present study was based on online responses from 28,047 adults ≥18 years (mean age: 46.9 years, SD = 16.03). Log-link binomial regression analyses were performed to examine associations between four measures of ACEs (family conflict, lack of adult support, bad memories, and difficult childhood) and demographic (age, gender, civil status, parental divorce) and socioeconomic characteristics (education level, perceived financial situation, and welfare benefits).Results: Single individuals and those with parents that divorced during childhood were at elevated risk of all four ACEs. The risk varied to some degree between the sexes. The prevalence of ACEs declined with increasing age. We found a consistent social gradient that corresponded to the frequency of ACEs for all three socioeconomic characteristics investigated. The risks were highest for those in the lowest socioeconomic levels (RR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.32–1.78 to RR: 4.95, CI: 4.27–5.74).Conclusions: Public health strategies should direct more attention to the interplay between ACEs and socioeconomic factors. Welfare services should be sensitive to ACEs among their service recipients.

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Section: Adverse Childhood Experiencessupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among 28,047 Norwegian Adults From a General Population

Haugland

Dovran

Albæk

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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show abstract

“…In a previous study, we suggested that ACEs, such as parental divorce and alcohol problems, and lacking a trustworthy adult, are associated with enduring perceptions of personal childhood hardships. Accordingly, we introduced and validated a short Difficult Childhood Questionnaire (DCQ) that captures the subjective burden of childhood adversities (Vederhus et al, 2021). With such a tool, research may better be able to examine potential mediators, such as negative affect and social isolation, through which ACEs exert their influence on adult health (Shevlin et al, 2015).…”

Section: Mediators Between Aces and Adult Quality Of Lifementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Perceived childhood difficulties. The survey used the Difficult Childhood Questionnaire (DCQ), which had three items that assessed retrospectively quarrelling and conflicts in the family environment; memories about adverse experiences during childhood due to loss, violence or abuse; and a general evaluation of childhood (Vederhus et al, 2021). The questions were scored on a 5-point ordinal scale.…”

Section: Potential Mediators Between Aces and Adult Qolmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mediational analysis of adverse experiences in childhood and quality of life in adulthood

Vederhus

Haugland

Timko

2022

Int J Methods Psych Res

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Objectives: This study examined associations of three prevalent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) -parents' problematic alcohol use (PPAU), parental separation/ divorce, and lack of support from a trusted adult-with adult quality of life (QoL), and potential mediators of associations.Methods: Data were from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway that assessed ACEs, QoL, and potential mediators: enduring perceptions of childhood hardships (Difficult Childhood Questionnaire; DCQ), current mental distress, and current social isolation. Latent regression analyses examined potential mediators.Results: Each ACE was positively associated with perceptions of childhood as difficult (higher DCQ scores). In turn, ACEs were negatively associated with adult QoL through indirect effects. Lack of support from a trusted adult had the strongest negative association with adult QoL, compared to PPAU and parental separation/ divorce. The association between the ACEs and QoL was explained through the mediators of mental distress and social isolation. Conclusions:Of the examined ACEs, lack of support from a trusted adult had the strongest negative impact on adult QoL. Adult support to vulnerable children could potentially ameliorate adult consequences of ACEs. In addition, adults reporting difficulties due to childhood adversities may benefit from therapeutic interventions that address both psychological distress and isolation. K E Y W O R D Sadverse childhood experiences, mental health, quality of life, social isolation | INTRODUCTIONAdverse experiences in childhood are common. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in Europe alone, 55 million children are affected by maltreatment (Sethi et al., 2018). In WHOsupported European surveys of young adults aged 18-25 years, half of respondents reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), with 6.3% reporting four or more (Sethi et al., 2018). These ACEs included physical, emotional and sexual abuse; neglect; witnessing intimate partner violence; and growing up with a household member with substance use, mental illness, and/or a history of incarceration. ACEs have received considerable attention because they have consistently been linked with negative physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood (Hughes et al., 2017; This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

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“…Those who reported their childhood as difficult or very difficult were categorized with “poor quality of childhood”. The overall quality of the single item question of childhood has earlier been used in large Norwegian public health study (the HUNT study) ( 114 ), and Vederhus, Timko ( 115 ) indicated that the question would could be an empirically supported method of assessing adverse childhood events (ACEs).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Group Intervention for Individuals With Obesity and Comorbid Binge Eating Disorder: Results From a Feasibility Study

et al. 2021

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PurposeA common challenge among a subgroup of individuals with obesity is binge eating, that exists on a continuum from mild binge eating episodes to severe binge eating disorder (BED). BED is common among bariatric patients and the prevalence of disordered eating and ED in bariatric surgery populations is well known. Conventional treatments and assessment of obesity seldom address the underlying psychological mechanisms of binge eating and subsequent obesity. This study, titled PnP (People need People) is a psychoeducational group pilot intervention for individuals with BED and obesity including patients with previous bariatric surgery. Design, feasibility, and a broad description of the study population is reported.Material and MethodsA total of 42 patients were from an obesity clinic referred to assessment and treatment with PnP in a psychoeducational group setting (3-hour weekly meetings for 10 weeks). Of these, 6 (14.3%) patients had a previous history of bariatric surgery. Feasibility was assessed by tracking attendance, potentially adverse effects and outcome measures including body mass index (BMI), eating disorder pathology, overvaluation of shape and weight, impairment, self-reported childhood difficulties, alexithymia, internalized shame as well as health related quality of life (HRQoL).ResultsAll 42 patients completed the intervention, with no adverse effects and a high attendance rate with a median attendance of 10 sessions, 95% CI (8.9,9.6) and 0% attrition. Extent of psychosocial impairment due to eating disorder pathology, body dissatisfaction and severity of ED symptoms were high among the patients at baseline. Additionally, self-reported childhood difficulties, alexithymia, and internalized shame were high among the patients and indicate a need to address underlying psychological mechanisms in individuals with BED and comorbid obesity. Improvement of HRQoL and reduction of binge eating between baseline and the end of the intervention was observed with a medium effectConclusionThis feasibility study supports PnP as a potential group psychoeducational intervention for patients living with BED and comorbid obesity. Assessments of BED and delivery of this intervention may optimize selection of candidates and bariatric outcomes. These preliminary results warrant further investigation via a randomized control trial (RCT) to examine the efficacy and effectiveness of PnP.

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Adverse childhood experiences and impact on quality of life in adulthood: development and validation of a short difficult childhood questionnaire in a large population-based health survey

Cited by 18 publications

References 53 publications

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among 28,047 Norwegian Adults From a General Population

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among 28,047 Norwegian Adults From a General Population

A mediational analysis of adverse experiences in childhood and quality of life in adulthood

A Group Intervention for Individuals With Obesity and Comorbid Binge Eating Disorder: Results From a Feasibility Study

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