Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to various types of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that individuals may experience in childhood. These experiences can lead to significant long-term effects on mental health and behavior. Individuals with higher ACE scores are more li...
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425002039 |
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| author | Ajith K. Remesan Varalakshmi Chandra Sekaran Satyanarayana Poojari Teddy Andrews Jaihind Jothikaran Vani Lakshmi R Lena Ashok |
| author_facet | Ajith K. Remesan Varalakshmi Chandra Sekaran Satyanarayana Poojari Teddy Andrews Jaihind Jothikaran Vani Lakshmi R Lena Ashok |
| author_sort | Ajith K. Remesan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to various types of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that individuals may experience in childhood. These experiences can lead to significant long-term effects on mental health and behavior. Individuals with higher ACE scores are more likely to experience psychological distress and the uptake of substances. This study aimed to explore the relationship between ACEs, psychological distress, and substance use among emerging adults. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in the Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The undergraduate colleges associated with Mangalore University were the sampling units. A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was employed to select 12 colleges from the undergraduate institutions in the district affiliated with Mangalore University based on their various courses. Data was collected in a classroom setting among 957 emerging adults between June 2023 and October 2023. Results: Among the participants, 18.91 % reported ACEs. Additionally, the prevalence of psychological distress and substance use were noted to be 27.03 % and 17.97 %, respectively. Tobacco and alcohol were having a higher prevalence in comparison with other substances. Furthermore, emerging adults who have experienced ACEs are significantly more prone to experiencing psychological distress. Conclusion: The study highlights the connection between ACEs, psychological distress, and substance use in emerging adults. It calls for integrating ACEs into interventions and policies, emphasizing the need for global research, particularly in India, to foster social cohesion and well-being through prevention and early detection strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-14358c611a6746ed8a02052afc3e710b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2213-3984 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-14358c611a6746ed8a02052afc3e710b2025-08-20T03:14:01ZengElsevierClinical Epidemiology and Global Health2213-39842025-07-013410211410.1016/j.cegh.2025.102114Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approachAjith K. Remesan0Varalakshmi Chandra Sekaran1Satyanarayana Poojari2Teddy Andrews Jaihind Jothikaran3Vani Lakshmi R4Lena Ashok5Department of Global Public Health Policy and Governance, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, IndiaDepartment of Global Public Health Policy and Governance, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, India; Corresponding author.Department of Applied Statistics and Data Science, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, IndiaDepartment of Social and Health Innovation, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, IndiaDepartment of Health Technology and Informatics, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, IndiaDepartment of Social and Health Innovation, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, IndiaBackground: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to various types of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that individuals may experience in childhood. These experiences can lead to significant long-term effects on mental health and behavior. Individuals with higher ACE scores are more likely to experience psychological distress and the uptake of substances. This study aimed to explore the relationship between ACEs, psychological distress, and substance use among emerging adults. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in the Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The undergraduate colleges associated with Mangalore University were the sampling units. A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was employed to select 12 colleges from the undergraduate institutions in the district affiliated with Mangalore University based on their various courses. Data was collected in a classroom setting among 957 emerging adults between June 2023 and October 2023. Results: Among the participants, 18.91 % reported ACEs. Additionally, the prevalence of psychological distress and substance use were noted to be 27.03 % and 17.97 %, respectively. Tobacco and alcohol were having a higher prevalence in comparison with other substances. Furthermore, emerging adults who have experienced ACEs are significantly more prone to experiencing psychological distress. Conclusion: The study highlights the connection between ACEs, psychological distress, and substance use in emerging adults. It calls for integrating ACEs into interventions and policies, emphasizing the need for global research, particularly in India, to foster social cohesion and well-being through prevention and early detection strategies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425002039Adverse childhood experiencesEmerging adultsPsychological distressStructural equation modelingSubstance useSustainable development goals |
| spellingShingle | Ajith K. Remesan Varalakshmi Chandra Sekaran Satyanarayana Poojari Teddy Andrews Jaihind Jothikaran Vani Lakshmi R Lena Ashok Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Adverse childhood experiences Emerging adults Psychological distress Structural equation modeling Substance use Sustainable development goals |
| title | Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach |
| title_full | Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach |
| title_fullStr | Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach |
| title_short | Pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling approach |
| title_sort | pathway of effects of adverse childhood experiences on psychological distress and substance use among emerging adults a structural equation modeling approach |
| topic | Adverse childhood experiences Emerging adults Psychological distress Structural equation modeling Substance use Sustainable development goals |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425002039 |
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