Adversity and resilience science最新文献

Exposure to violence, a significant adverse childhood experience (ACE), can undermine physical safety and disrupt brain development, increasing the risk of mental health issues and chronic disease later in life. While extensive research on ACEs has focused on individual resilience, family dynamics, and neighborhood support in relation to specific health and behavioral outcomes, the role of neighborhood amenities remains underexplored. These public spaces outside of home or school such as libraries, parks, and recreational centers, referred to as “third places” may foster resilience by providing children with opportunities for safe, positive social interactions with peers and adults. Using data from California’s 2022–2023 enhanced National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), we explored the relationship between the presence of third places in a neighborhood and children’s exposure to violence-related ACEs. Violence-related ACEs were defined based on caregiver reports of children’s exposure to domestic or community violence. The availability of third places was assessed through caregiver-reported presence of libraries, parks, or recreational centers within the neighborhood. Our findings suggest that third places may serve as a protective buffer against the negative effects of violence-related ACEs. By offering safe environments, educational resources, and opportunities for positive social engagement, third places could play a crucial role in fostering resilience. Public health initiatives that prioritize the development and accessibility of such community assets may help mitigate children’s exposure to violence, while enhancing family and community well-being.

Having a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness is one of the most traumatic experiences a parent can face. While this challenge is universal, there is a critical gap in research exploring the experiences of caregivers in low-income countries, where psychosocial support is often limited. Existing literature tends to emphasize the negative impact of the disease, leaving a need for more studies that also examine caregiver resilience and coping. This study addresses that gap by identifying strengths related to resilience among Kosovan caregivers of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) within the active treatment phase. Based on in-depth interviews with 12 caregivers (nine mothers and three fathers) of 12 children aged 4 to 14 years who were undergoing treatment, followed by a thematic analysis, key strengths that promoted their well-being and contributed to a more positive outcome during this challenging time were identified. Using the resilience portfolio model as a framework, three key domains—meaning-making, regulatory strengths, and interpersonal strengths—emerged in various ways. Participants identified family support, faith, religious practices, and group connectedness as essential strengths that helped them accept their diagnosis and adapt during all stages of treatment. The results shed light on both their battles and strengths, aiming to enhance our understanding of the caregiver’s resilience strengths. These insights can lead to interventions and help target the modifiable family psychosocial risk factors that can hinder a family’s adaptation and recovery.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant problem on college campuses. The effects of IPV on the survivor can affect academic performance, persistence, and success. With the increase in the number of Latinx women enrolling in college and their unique cultural factors, it is critical to understand their experiences of IPV. The field is shifting away from a unilateral focus on the treatment of IPV towards a greater understanding of the protective and resilience factors that support the individual in overcoming adversity. The Resilience Portfolio Model (RPM; Grych et al., 2015) provides a solid framework for studying the effects of IPV on Latinx college women. A total of 12 Latinx women engaged in their undergraduate degree studies were interviewed. Conventional qualitative content analysis and Spradley’s (1979) chart, which is used in qualitative research to help systematically analyze, organize, and visualize data, helped facilitate our understanding, categorization, and identification of overarching themes. In line with the RPM, two themes emerged: assets and resources. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Background: Disordered eating behaviors (e.g., overeating, binge eating) peak during college. To prevent disordered eating behaviors (DEBs), studies have explored factors related to DEBs. Childhood experiences, in particular, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known risk factors, whereas benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) are known protective factors for DEBs. However, whether ACEs and BCEs have a joint effect on DEBs is poorly understood. Objective: To examine how childhood experiences are related to DEBs among college students. Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional study of college students (N = 1,634; 58.2% women, M_age 20.4 ± 3.2yrs in 2022–2023). ACEs (e.g., abuse, neglect, sibling aggression) and BCEs (e.g., liked oneself, had a good caregiver) were self-reported and classified into four categories: high ACEs and low BCEs; high ACEs and high BCEs; low ACEs and low BCEs; low ACEs and high BCEs. Five DEBs (e.g., overeating, binge eating) were self-reported. Logistic regressions and modified Poisson regressions were used to examine associations between childhood experiences and DEBs. Results: The predicted probability (PP) of DEBs were highest in the high ACEs low BCEs category (PP = 38.5%-64.2%) after adjustment for sociodemographic variables. Predicted probability was lowest in the low ACEs high BCEs category (PP = 22.1%-47.4%) and such college students had 0.59 to 0.75 times the prevalence of DEBs than those in the high ACEs low BCEs category. Conclusion: Low ACEs and high BCEs may have a joint effect against DEBs in college students. To mitigate the risk of DEBs, public health efforts should consider simultaneously preventing ACEs and promoting BCEs.

Adverse childhood experiences have profound implications for physical and mental health throughout an individual’s lifespan. While primary care research has focused on assessing adverse childhood experiences, much less is known about the protective factors crucial for fostering resilience. This scoping review, guided by Ungar’s Socio-ecological Resilience model, investigates the protective and adverse factors assessed in primary care alongside ACEs and their potential influence on patient outcomes. A comprehensive search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases through July 5, 2024, identified 33 relevant studies out of 1232 initial results. Findings reveal a disproportionate emphasis on adversities (n = 29) over protective factors (n = 19), reflecting a stronger focus on deficit-based models. Frequently assessed adverse factors include intimate partner violence, material hardship, and community problems, while resilience, social support, and health literacy were identified as key protective factors. The results underscore the importance of adopting more strength-based approaches in primary care, integrating community, environmental, and cultural resources to promote resilience and mitigate the effects of ACEs. Additionally, the study highlights the need for more culturally sensitive assessment tools and interventions, broadening the scope of resilience research within primary care.

One of the most robust predictors of mental health issues over the life course are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, research is just beginning to investigate the role of the developmental timing of ACEs in mental health and identify modifiable protective factors. This study assessed the association between ACEs and four indicators of mental health, the developmental timing of ACEs, and the role of coping strategies in these associations among college students. Regression models tested associations between ACEs (maltreatment and household dysfunction) and depression diagnosis, psychological distress, suicide risk, and loneliness; explored the developmental timing of ACEs; and assessed whether coping styles (task-oriented, emotion-oriented, avoidant) moderated the ACE-mental health relationship. Maltreatment and household dysfunction were associated with higher odds of depression (AOR_mal 1.47, 95% CI 1.07–2.05; AOR_hhd 1.59, 95% CI 1.10–2.31), suicide risk (AOR_mal 1.76, 95% CI 1.50–4.15; AOR_hhd 1.82, 95% CI 1.24–2.69), psychological distress (AOR_mal 1.49, 95% CI 1.06–2.11), and loneliness (AOR_hhd 1.34, 95% CI 1.09–1.80) with all participants experiencing both reporting elevated levels of mental health symptomology. Regarding the developmental timing of ACEs, in comparison to later onset, early childhood maltreatment exacerbated risk for depression (p < 0.01) but no other indicators. Task-oriented coping offset the negative effects of ACEs for depression, psychological distress, and suicide risk (ps < 0.05), whereas emotion-oriented coping amplified ACE-related risk for loneliness and suicide (ps < 0.01). Our findings highlight the importance of prioritizing upstream prevention strategies that promote adaptive coping to mitigate life course risk.

Research on childhood adversity and self-harm is well-established, but less is known about how dimensions of childhood experiences, including subtypes of adversity and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs), relate to lifetime self-harm. This study examined associations between childhood maltreatment, exposure to family dysfunction, BCEs, and lifetime self-harm. Participants were 242 low-income, ethnically diverse females (M age = 28.46 years, SD = 5.72, range = 18–41) and their 148 male partners (M age = 30.23 years, SD = 7.39, range = 18–55) who completed well-validated instruments on childhood maltreatment, exposure to family dysfunction, BCEs, and self-harm. Females and males were separately categorized into four groups based on lifetime self-harm: 1-No history of self-harm (Neither); 2-Suicide attempt(s) only (SA); 3-Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) only; and 4- NSSI and suicide attempt(s) (Both). Multivariate modeling demonstrated that females with higher childhood maltreatment had a significantly greater odds of membership in the Both group as compared to the Neither group. Females with greater exposure to family dysfunction had a significantly greater odds of membership in the Both, NSSI only, and SA only groups compared to the Neither group. Males with higher childhood maltreatment had a significantly greater odds of membership in the Both, NSSI only, and SA only groups compared to the Neither group. However, levels of BCEs did not differentiate group membership for females or males. Findings highlight the importance of screening for presence of self-harm and links to childhood adversity during healthcare visits to identify at-risk individuals and potentially prevent death by suicide.

Childhood experiences, both adverse and positive, influence mental health outcomes in adulthood. This study examined the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) among a sample of Black Americans (N = 999, M = 45.6 years, SD = 17.16 years, range = 18–82 years) and investigated how ACEs, PCEs, and their interaction were each associated with key transdiagnostic factors known to underlie mental health problems: emotion dysregulation, distress tolerance, and anxiety sensitivity in adulthood. Participants completed the ACEs scale, Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-short form, Distress Tolerance Scale-short form, and Short Scale Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Participants reported moderate ACEs (M = 2.97) and relatively high BCEs (M = 8.44). Results revealed that ACEs and BCEs were inversely but only modestly associated. In linear regressions that accounted for both ACEs and BCEs together, higher ACEs were associated with higher levels of emotion dysregulation and anxiety sensitivity and lower levels of distress tolerance. Meanwhile, higher BCEs were associated with lower emotion dysregulation and anxiety sensitivity and higher distress tolerance. While the interaction between ACEs and BCEs was not significant for any outcome, post hoc exploratory tests showed cohort effects by stage of adulthood for ACEs, PCEs, and outcomes. Findings indicate that many individuals have at least some of both types of experiences, and both types of experiences directly associate with each outcome. Findings highlight the importance of both ACEs and PCEs for psychosocial functioning and the mental health of Black American adults.

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee minors (URMs) present with high levels of mental health problems, but also remarkable psychological resources to cope and adapt in their destination country. Research has indicated that life satisfaction and self-efficacy are resources that over time can promote adaptive psychological outcomes in children exposed to adversities. The interrelations of these resources in relation to depressive symptoms during short time spans can provide us with a better understanding of URMs’ mental health. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory study is to investigate the longitudinal interrelations between these resources and depressive symptoms during a period of 3.5 months among youth who had participated in a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention, Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT). Questionnaire data were collected from 120 URMs residing in Norway, at two time points (baseline and 8 weeks after the TRT). The majority were males (86%), and mean age was 17.22 (1.72). Most of them were from Afghanistan (61%) and Eritrea (22%), and 82% reported clinical-range levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms at baseline. The results from a cross-lagged panel analysis showed that life satisfaction positively predicted self-efficacy and negatively predicted depressive symptoms at the subsequent time point among participants. There were no effects from self-efficacy or depressive symptoms on life satisfaction across time, but there was co-development of all three variables. This exploratory study indicates that for URMs in Norway, higher levels of life satisfaction are associated with positive mental health outcomes over a 3-month time. Future research should continue exploring how life satisfaction affects URMs’ resilience and building new knowledge about the complexities of their mental health.