The Interrelation of Adverse Childhood Experiences within an At-Risk Pediatric Sample

Past research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to physical and mental health problems. Theoretical models imply that ACE exposure is not entirely random but that one type of ACE exposure (e.g., parental incarceration) may be related to increased risk for another type of ACE exposure (e.g., physical abuse); however, the empirical nature of ACE co-occurrence remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine ACE co-occurrence in a pediatric sample (n = 672). Results indicated that certain types of ACEs do co-occur more often than other types and that a 3-factor solution best fit the data (Abuse, Household Dysfunction, and Mixed). The findings add to the understanding of ACEs and highlight the need to identify underlying common risk factors among specific adverse experiences.