Adverse childhood experiences and adjustment: A longitudinal study of street-involved youth in Brazil

Most research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been conducted in high-income countries in the global North. The current longitudinal study examined the prevalence, overlap, and impact of ACEs in a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents who use city streets as spaces for socializatio...

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Autores:
Tipo de recurso:
Fecha de publicación:
2018
Institución:
Universidad del Rosario
Repositorio:
Repositorio EdocUR - U. Rosario
Idioma:
eng
OAI Identifier:
oai:repository.urosario.edu.co:10336/23656
Acceso en línea:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.07.032
https://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/23656
Palabra clave:
Adolescent
Age distribution
Article
Behavior assessment
Brazil
Brazilian
Child
Clinical practice
Demography
Educational status
Family assessment
Female
Health care policy
Homeless youth
Human
Longitudinal study
Major clinical study
Male
Personal experience
Physical abuse
Physical capacity
Practice guideline
Prevalence
Psychological adjustment
Psychological aspect
Risk assessment
Risk factor
Sex difference
Sexual abuse
Socialization
Brazil
Coping behavior
Drug dependence
Homeless youth
Prospective study
Psychology
Sex factor
Adolescent
Adverse childhood experiences
Brazil
Child
Female
Homeless youth
Humans
Longitudinal studies
Male
Prospective studies
Sex factors
Substance-related disorders
Adjustment
Adverse childhood experiences (aces)
Brazil
Longitudinal study
Street-involved youth
psychological
Adaptation
Rights
License
Abierto (Texto Completo)
Description
Summary:Most research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been conducted in high-income countries in the global North. The current longitudinal study examined the prevalence, overlap, and impact of ACEs in a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents who use city streets as spaces for socialization and survival (i.e., street-involved youth). Participants (N = 113; M age = 14.18 years) were recruited in three cities following standardized procedures. Most youth were male (80.5%) and non-White (91%). Lifetime exposure to ACEs was assessed at the first study time point; six indicators of psychological, behavioral, and physical adjustment were assessed 6 months later. Analyses addressed three research goals. First, the prevalence of seven ACEs was examined. Youth reported an average of 4.8 ACEs (SD = 1.25); no significant age or gender differences were found in ACEs exposure (all ps >.05). Second, the overlap between different ACEs was explored. Family dysfunction was correlated with family disruption and physical abuse; poverty and physical abuse were related (ps less than .05). Third, prospective associations between ACEs and adjustment were tested. Total number of ACEs was not significantly correlated with any outcome, but several associations emerged for specific ACEs. For example, death of a close friend or family member was prospectively associated with negative affect; sexual abuse was associated with illicit drug use and physical health symptoms (ps less than .05). Findings highlight the prevalence of ACEs in this vulnerable population and underscore the value of extending research on ACEs into novel populations and contexts. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd