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Cited by 457Child Abuse and TraumaResilience and Mental HealthChild Welfare and Adoption

Life course pathways of adverse childhood experiences toward adult psychological well-being: A stress process analysis

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Nurius, Paula S., Green, Sara, Logan-Greene, Patricia, Borja, Sharon·2015·Child Abuse & Neglect
DOI 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.008PMC PMC4470711
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Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that toxic stressors early in life not only convey developmental impacts but also augment risk of proliferating chains of additional stressors that can overwhelm individual coping and undermine recovery and health. Examining trauma within a life course stress process perspective, we posit that early childhood adversity carries a unique capacity to impair adult psychological well-being both independent of and cumulative with other contributors, including social disadvantage and stressful adult experiences. This study uses data from a representative population-based health survey (N=13,593) to provide one of the first multivariate assessments of unique, cumulative, and moderated effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) toward explaining 3 related yet distinct measures of adult mental health: perceived well-being, psychological distress, and impaired daily activities. Results demonstrate support for each set of hypothesized associations, including exacerbation and amelioration of ACEs effects by adult stress and resilience resources, respectively. Implications for services and future research are discussed.

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Authors
Nurius, P. S., Green, S., Logan-Greene, P., & Borja, S.
Affiliations
University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
Nurius, Paula S.
ORCID
Venue
Child Abuse & Neglect
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-07
Volume
45
Pages
143-153
ISSN
0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.008
PMC
PMC4470711
OpenAlex
W2159188323
Cited by
457
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 43 · 2025: 47 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 58 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 4
FWCI
22.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (5 T32 MH20010, TL1TR000422, R24 HD042828)
  • National Institutes of Health (5 T32 MH20010, TL1TR000422, R24 HD042828)
  • University of Washington (5 T32 MH20010, TL1TR000422, R24 HD042828)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5 T32 MH20010, TL1TR000422, R24 HD042828)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (5 T32 MH20010, TL1TR000422, R24 HD042828)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
Keywords
adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, psychological distress, perceived well-being, cumulative stressors, social deprivation, adult stress, resilience, early childhood adversity
MeSH terms
Activities of Daily Living, Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Regression Analysis, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Washington, Multivariate Analysis, Crime Victims, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

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