Self-reported Adverse Childhood Experiences and Quality of Life among children in the two last grades of Dutch elementary education: abstract
conference paper
Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) may have a life-long impact on mental health and risk behavior and are related to physical diseases in adults, such as diabetes and heart diseases. Research on ACEs suffers from recall bias when performed with adults. Objective: Our aim was to estimate the prevalence ACEs as reported by children and to determine the impact of these ACEs on their self-reported quality of life (QoL). Method: In 2016 we conducted a cross-sectional study using a child version of the ACE-Questionnaire. This questionnaire assesses parental separation or divorce, physical and emotional child abuse and neglect, sexual violence, violence against the (step)mother, household substance abuse, incarceration of a household member, suicide or psychological issues with a household member. QoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10. Participants and setting: The questionnaire was completed by 644 children at a median age of 12 years (range 9 – 13 years) in the two last grades of regular elementary schools recruited throughout the Netherlands. Results: Data were weighted by ethnicity to obtain a representative sample of children in Dutch elementary education. We found that 26.4% of the children had experienced one or more forms of child maltreatment, and 45.3% had one or more out of ten ACEs. ACEs often co-occurred. A higher number of ACEs correlated with a lower mean level of QoL (p < 0.001). Mean QoL was 8.5 points lower (Cohen’s d = 0.8) in children who experienced child maltreatment. Conclusion: Our research stresses the need for prevention and trauma-focus in schools.
TNO Identifier
869481
Publisher
European Union for School and University Health and Medicine (EUSUHM)
Source title
Youth Health Care in Europe: Changing contexts Influencing youth and their surroundings, 20th European Union for School and University Health and Medicine (EUSUHM) 11-13 September Rotterdam, Netherland
Place of publication
Rotterdam
Pages
17-18