Relationship Assessment Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) With Psychological Well-Being (PWB)

Khansa  Bibi; Jalaluddin  Rumi; Sardar Muhammad  Zahir; Shabir Ahmed  Lehri; Muhammad  Iqbal; Naseeb  Ullah; Amin  Ullah; Sana Ullah  Kakar

doi:10.54112/bcsrj.v6i4.1694

Authors

Khansa Bibi Bolan University Of Medical and Health Sciences Quetta, Pakistan
Jalaluddin Rumi Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan
Sardar Muhammad Zahir Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan
Shabir Ahmed Lehri Bolan University Of Medical and Health Sciences Quetta, Pakistan
Muhammad Iqbal Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan
Naseeb Ullah Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan
Amin Ullah Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan
Sana Ullah Kakar Balochistan Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences BIPBS Quetta, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v6i4.1694

Keywords:

Adverse childhood Experience, Psychological well-being and Quetta

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been recognized as potent predictors of psychological functioning in adulthood. These early life stressors, encompassing abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, can significantly impair psychological well-being (PWB). Despite growing global evidence, the intersection of ACEs with age and gender as moderating factors in psychological outcomes remains underexplored in the Pakistani context, particularly among university students. Objective: To examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and psychological well-being (PWB) among university students in Quetta, Pakistan, and to investigate the moderating effects of age and gender on this relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 145 university students, stratified into two age groups (18–24 and 25–30 years), across Quetta, Pakistan. Data were collected using the conventional 10-item Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire and a shortened 18-item version of the Psychological Well-Being (PWB) scale covering six domains (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and self-acceptance). Statistical analysis included independent samples t-tests to assess mean differences by age and gender, and correlation analysis to examine the relationship between ACEs and PWB. Results: The results showed a statistically significant relationship between ACEs and PWB (p < 0.05). A mean difference was observed between the two age groups on the ACEs scale (p = 0.04), but the mean difference on the PWB scale was not significant (p = 0.388). Gender-based analysis indicated no statistically significant mean differences on the ACEs (p = 0.782) or PWB (p = 0.841) scales. However, correlation analysis affirmed a negative association between higher ACE exposure and lower psychological well-being. Conclusion: The findings suggest a significant inverse relationship between adverse childhood experiences and psychological well-being among university students. Although age showed a significant impact on ACE scores, gender did not appear to influence either ACEs or PWB significantly. These results underscore the importance of early trauma-informed interventions in improving psychological health outcomes in youth populations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ryff CD, Boylan JM. Linking well-being to health: New science and policy opportunities. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2019;14(4):563–73.

Keyes CLM, Ryff CD. Psychological well-being in midlife. In: Lachman ME, editor. Handbook of Midlife Development. New York: Wiley; 2020.

Hughes K, Bellis MA, Hardcastle KA, et al. The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2017;2(8):e356–66.

Metzler M, Merrick MT, Klevens J, et al. Adverse childhood experiences and life opportunities: Shifting the narrative. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2019;72:141–9.

Malik M, Irfan M, Raza S. Impact of childhood maltreatment on adult mental health: A study from Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(6):1741–6.

Asif M, Aslam M, Babar TS. Mental health stigma in Pakistan: A critical review. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2022;68(5):932–40.

Ameer S, Munir M, Nadeem R. Household dysfunction and psychological outcomes among Pakistani youth. BMC Psychol. 2020;8(1):95.

Shah SMA, Merchant AT. Lack of mental health awareness and its impact on trauma recovery in Pakistani adolescents. Asian J Psychiatr. 2021;58:102588.

Khan MN, Khan MS, Hussain M. Psychological distress among university students in Balochistan: The role of early life stress. J Pak Med Assoc. 2023;73(3):567–72.

Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, Guinn AS. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences from the 2011–2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 23 States. JAMA Pediatr. 2018;172(11):1038–44.

Allen B, Cramer RJ, Harris PB. Predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms and well-being: The role of adverse childhood experiences and resilience. Child Abuse Negl. 2021;117:105067.

McLennan JD, MacMillan HL, Afifi TO. Questioning the use of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) questionnaires. Child Abuse Negl. 2020;101:104331.

Lindfors P, Lundberg U. Is low self-rated health related to cortisol levels or psychological well-being? Biol Psychol. 2021;156:107963.

Waqas A, Raza N, Lodhi HW, Muhammad Z, Jamal M, Rehman A. Psychometric properties of the Urdu version of Ryff's Psychological Well-Being scale. Health Psychol Open. 2022;9(1):20551029221083031.

Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. Am J Prev Med. 2019;56(6):774–86.

Keyes CLM. The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. J Health Soc Behav. 2020;61(2):302–17.

Spinazzola J, Hodgdon H, Liang L-J, Ford JD, Layne CM, Pynoos R, et al. Unseen wounds: The contribution of developmental trauma disorder to the diagnosis of PTSD in youth. J Trauma Stress. 2021;34(4):601–10.

Khan M, Shah SMA, Yousafzai AK. Mental health literacy and stigma among university students in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):316.

Aslam N, Kamal A. Coping strategies and resilience among university students with adverse childhood experiences. Pak J Psychol Res. 2021;36(3):475–94.