Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences
BackgroundHigher exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been shown to worsen the effect of COVID-19 stress on mental health problems in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults. This study extends that research by examining depression, anxiety, hostility, and perceiv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546409/full |
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| author | Behnam Mousavi Jessy Moore Karen A. Patte William Pickett Deborah D. O’Leary Terrance J. Wade |
| author_facet | Behnam Mousavi Jessy Moore Karen A. Patte William Pickett Deborah D. O’Leary Terrance J. Wade |
| author_sort | Behnam Mousavi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundHigher exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been shown to worsen the effect of COVID-19 stress on mental health problems in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults. This study extends that research by examining depression, anxiety, hostility, and perceived stress trajectories across successive phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in a prospective, multi-wave panel study using data collected pre-COVID-19 pandemic onset, Early pandemic, Peak pandemic, and Post-Peak pandemic.MethodsThe baseline data come from the Niagara Longitudinal Heart Study (NLHS) and the three COVID-19 waves come from a sub-study of the NLHS examining the specific impact of the pandemic. Using a Bayesian multivariate mixed-model regression framework, 171 participants who responded to at least one wave of the COVID-19 sub-study were included.ResultsParticipants with higher ACE scores and high COVID-19 stress had elevated trajectories of several poor mental health measures that stayed higher than other groups across all waves of data collection.DiscussionYoung adults who reported higher ACEs were more susceptible to subsequent stress exposure, highlighting a specific, high-risk group who may benefit from targeted intervention programs during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03e9a1214fc0440dad53f7d2e40cd9f0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-03e9a1214fc0440dad53f7d2e40cd9f02025-08-20T03:28:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15464091546409Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiencesBehnam MousaviJessy MooreKaren A. PatteWilliam PickettDeborah D. O’LearyTerrance J. WadeBackgroundHigher exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been shown to worsen the effect of COVID-19 stress on mental health problems in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults. This study extends that research by examining depression, anxiety, hostility, and perceived stress trajectories across successive phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in a prospective, multi-wave panel study using data collected pre-COVID-19 pandemic onset, Early pandemic, Peak pandemic, and Post-Peak pandemic.MethodsThe baseline data come from the Niagara Longitudinal Heart Study (NLHS) and the three COVID-19 waves come from a sub-study of the NLHS examining the specific impact of the pandemic. Using a Bayesian multivariate mixed-model regression framework, 171 participants who responded to at least one wave of the COVID-19 sub-study were included.ResultsParticipants with higher ACE scores and high COVID-19 stress had elevated trajectories of several poor mental health measures that stayed higher than other groups across all waves of data collection.DiscussionYoung adults who reported higher ACEs were more susceptible to subsequent stress exposure, highlighting a specific, high-risk group who may benefit from targeted intervention programs during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546409/fulladverse childhood experiencesACEsyoung adultsmental healthCOVID-19stress |
| spellingShingle | Behnam Mousavi Jessy Moore Karen A. Patte William Pickett Deborah D. O’Leary Terrance J. Wade Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences Frontiers in Public Health adverse childhood experiences ACEs young adults mental health COVID-19 stress |
| title | Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| title_full | Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| title_fullStr | Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| title_short | Mental health trajectories over the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| title_sort | mental health trajectories over the covid 19 pandemic among young adults reporting adverse childhood experiences |
| topic | adverse childhood experiences ACEs young adults mental health COVID-19 stress |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546409/full |
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