Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience and Mental Health in a Hispanic Community

Abstract

This study explores the relations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health and resilience among Hispanic adults living in the United States – Mexico Border region. Numerous studies have investigated the negative impact of ACEs on adult mental health, but the concept of resilience as a protective factor for mental health in the Hispanic communities has limited consideration in ACE treatment interventions. The proposed study addresses this gap in knowledge by investigating relations between ACEs, resilience, and mental health. An online survey was administered to 221 university students to assess the relationship between ACEs, mental distress and resilience. Using hierarchical linear regression, three models were estimated. First, including demographics, second including ACEs and low resilience, followed by the interaction of ACEs and resilience. Analyses indicate that ACEs were associated with mental distress (B = 1.02, 95% CI 0.37 – 1.68, p < 0.01) and low resilience was associated with mental distress (B = 5.37, 95% CI 3.15 – 7.59, p < .01). The interaction between ACEs and low resilience was also related to mental distress (B = 1.32, 95% CI 0.17 – 2.47, p = 0.03), indicating that ACEs had a larger association with mental distress among respondents with low resilience. Findings highlight the importance of the direct association between resilience and mental distress, along with the moderating influence of resilience on the relation between ACEs and mental health. Interventions promoting resilience may be effective in reducing mental distress, especially among individuals with a history of ACEs.

The core functions and forms paradigm throughout EPIS: designing and implementing an evidence-based practice with function fidelity

“…Specifically, this intervention component served the dual functions of establishing social connections and offering concrete/practical support in times of need. The increased confidence and competence parents would feel through the support of the promotoras was hypothesized to increase parental resilience (40,41). From a function-form fidelity perspective, there is wide variation on the ways (i.e., forms) in which promotoras can perform their core functions.…”

Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Pandemic-Related Stress and the Impact on Adolescent Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…For example, individuals who have ACEs have higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms (Sheffler et al, 2020 ), and a cumulative dose–response relationship exists between the number of ACEs and lifetime prevalence of depressive disorders (Clements-Nolle et al, 2018 ; LeMoult et al, 2020 ; Merrick et al, 2019 ). Exposure to ACEs may also exacerbate inequities in health, social, and economic outcomes across generations (Dominguez & Brown, 2022 ; Lensch et al, 2021 ; Shonkoff et al, 2021 ).…”