A national study of the influence of adverse childhood experiences on depression among Black adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of research examining the influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on depression among Black adults in the United States. This national study examined the influence of ten widely studied ACEs on past year major depressive episode (PY-MDE) among 6081 Black adults in the United States and in the context of other risk and protective factors. Other risk factors were intimate partner violence victimization, gender discrimination, and racial discrimination. Protective factors were religious service attendance and ethnic identity.

METHODS

Data were drawn from wave two of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

RESULTS

Results from stratified analyses revealed that for both sexes, participants who reported any of the five types of child abuse/neglect or any of the five types of household dysfunction had greater odds of PY-MDE when controlling for other risk and protective factors. Some types of ACEs had a greater influence on PY-MDE than intimate partner violence, gender discrimination, or racial discrimination.

LIMITATIONS

This study was cross-sectional.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings document the long-term effects of ACEs on PY-MDE among Black adults nationally.