---

Presenter: Rou Chen

Faculty Sponsor: Maria M. Galano

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, 165, D15

ABSTRACT

Research shows that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) could lead to the development of transdiagnostic factors, irritability and impulsivity, which both underlie several mental health disorders. Few studies have investigated whether the types and timing of ACEs may affect impulsivity and irritability. Hence, the current study examines how the types and timing of ACEs would influence the prevalence of impulsivity and irritability in adulthood. This study uses secondary data from a project aimed at exploring the effects of campus climate and coping on post-traumatic stress disorder and depression risk among young adults with histories of ACEs. Data were drawn from a sample of 419 undergraduate students ages 18-25 (M_age = 19.88, SD = 1.23) enrolled in a psychology course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Types and timing of ACEs were examined through the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire-2nd Revision. Irritability was measured through the Affective Reactivity Index, and impulsivity was measured through the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief. Results indicated that individuals who experienced ACEs between ages 0-5 were associated with greater impulsivity in adulthood (p < .05), while individuals who experienced ACEs between ages 6-12 were associated with greater irritability in adulthood (p < .05). Additionally, those who experienced childhood maltreatment (p < .01) and intimate partner violence (p < .01) were associated with greater irritability in adulthood. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of early intervention when identifying children who have experienced ACEs because early and middle childhood are critical periods where experiencing ACEs can have lasting effects on mental health outcomes.