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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Elizabeth A. Schilling, PhD¹, Robert H. Aseltine, PhD¹, and Susan Gore, PhD². (1) Behavioral Sciences and Community Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, MC3910, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, (860) 679-2213, eschilling@uchc.edu, (2) Center for Survey Research, University of Massachusetts, Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125

A systematic probability sample of high school seniors (N=1093) from diverse communities was used to investigate the relationship between lifetime exposure to childhood adversities and self-reported depressive symptoms, drug use, and antisocial behavior approximately 2 years later. The ten adversities investigated were sex abuse or assault, physical assault, physical abuse, serious neglect, being threatened with a weapon or held captive, being sent away from home as a child, witnessing injury or murder, parental separation, parental unemployment, and parental drinking or drug problem. Our results demonstrate that a high percentage of young people from urban, socio-economically disadvantaged communities enter adulthood with serious adversity in their pasts. Most adversities were strongly associated with all outcomes, although some differences in relative impact were observed. Adversities were more strongly associated with antisocial behaviors in boys. Where racial/ethnic differences existed, the mental health impact of adversities on Whites was consistently greater than on Blacks and Hispanics.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify five childhood adversities that predict elevated levels of depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, and drug use in young adults from disadvantaged communities.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Psychiatric Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered