Adverse Adult Experiences: Prevalence and Association with Childhood Adversity

Research has shown that over half of American adults have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) in their lifetime. Research also indicates that greater exposure of ACEs, including child maltreatment and household dysfunction increases the risk of poor health outcomes. What is less clear, however, is whether adult exposure to adversity has effects that are similar to the effects of childhood adversity. This study examined the prevalence of adverse experiences in adulthood, and whether exposure to childhood adversity increases the risk of adult adversity. To answer these questions, data were analyzed from the Families and Children Thriving (FACT) Study, an investigation of low-income women who received home visiting services in Wisconsin (N=894). ACE data were collected from participants by home visitors using the Childhood Experiences Survey, while information on adult adverse experiences was taken from survey responses to the Adult Experiences Survey. Results showed that there were high rates of adverse adult experiences in this sample. For example, since turning age 18, 37% of women reported that they had experienced homelessness, and over 40% reported that a partner had physically abused them. Nearly one-half of the women (47.5%) had experienced the incarceration of a spouse or partner, while nearly one quarter (22.3%) had personally been in prison or jail. Results also showed that there was a significant, positive association between the number of childhood adversities and the number of adult adversities reported. The findings suggest that low-income women in Wisconsin experience significant adversity over the life course, and that exposure to ACES increases the risk of exposure to adverse experiences in adulthood. The implications for two-generation programs like the home visiting services, which may act as both intervention and prevention strategies, will be discussed