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Francisco Gutierrez III

Professor Lindberg

ENGL 1302-220

March 1 2024

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Negative Effects on Adulthood

Since the late 20th century, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been a field of

interest among researchers aiming to gain insight into their effects on an adult’s well-being.

ACEs are notorious for their relationship with poor health outcomes in adulthood (Stern and

Thayer 1069), as well as the probability of adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury

(NSSI). Over time, ACEs have drastically increased among children, with nearly half of the

United States population having experienced at least one before the age of 18 (Goldstein et al.

1861). By conducting studies on the effects of childhood adversities, researchers have

determined factors that contribute to an adult's increased risk of poor well-being and provide a

clear understanding of how these factors should be avoided. ACEs significantly affect adult

health, from cardiovascular disease and obesity to depression and NSSI, stressing the critical

need for intervention strategies for adolescents.

ACEs often arise in the presence of poor family resilience during an adolescent's

childhood. When families lack resilience, they may struggle to create a nurturing and supportive

environment for children, thereby increasing their susceptibility to ACEs. Alternatively, when

parental figures provide warmth and support during challenging times, their children develop

their own resilience, enhancing their ability to thrive in the future despite negative experiences.

This idea is supported by Ellen Goldstein and other scholars, who highlight that family stressors

can diminish family resilience and worsen outcomes for adolescents (1862). The study states,
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“Research on resilience indicates that healthy relationships protect against adversity and

strengthen the ability to effectively manage stress and cope with adversity,” (Goldstein et al.

1862) which accentuates the notion that strong family resilience carries into adulthood. Their

study indicates that fostering family resilience is pivotal in alleviating the impact of adverse

childhood experiences and promoting positive outcomes for youth.

Building upon the impact of family dynamics on ACEs, poor family functioning during

adolescence emerges as a significant contributing factor to childhood adversities. A study

conducted by Matthew Cassels and colleagues details that approximately 17% of adolescents

report engaging in NSSI, which is deemed an “important predictor of attempted/completed

suicide” (881). Additionally, ACEs contributed to as much as 38% of all suicide attempts in the

United States as of 2021 (Grummitt et al. 1247). This underscores the severity of the issue and its

potential long-term, fatal consequences. Adolescents surrounded by harsh family relationships,

including instances of physical and verbal abuse, neglect, and parental conflict, are more likely

to resort to NSSI as a coping mechanism. On the other hand, when a child's family environment

is positive, they are less likely to engage in NSSI and have a higher chance of success in

adulthood. The study continues to emphasize the impact of early childhood family adversity on

the development of NSSI during adolescence and how it is influenced by age 14 (Cassels et al.

881).

Furthermore, an adolescent's exposure to ACEs puts them at risk of exacerbating genetic

predispositions, such as obesity during adulthood. As demonstrated in the previous paragraph,

when a child experiences an adverse situation, they tend to seek coping mechanisms. Some may

resort to NSSI, while others may use larger food portions to soothe their turmoil. As of 2022, 4

out of 10 adults suffer from obesity, with numbers projected to increase, indicating that 1 out of 2
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adults will have obesity by 2030 (Ward et al. 2440). In a study conducted by Adolfo G. Cuevas

and colleagues, researchers assess the potential relationship between polygenic risk scores for

waist circumference (PRS-WC) and childhood adversity. The conducted research emphasizes an

increase in the level of ACEs and how they magnify the relationship between PRS-WC and

Waist Circumference (WC) (Adolfo et al. 1875). The results of the study suggest that by

reducing a child’s exposure to ACEs, the risk of obesogenic effects of underlying genetic liability

is significantly lowered (Cuevas et al. 1875). This further supports the idea that ACEs negatively

affect an individual's health and, if severe, could be the cause of their death (Ward et al. 2449).

In addition to the significant physical effects of childhood adversity, the depressive

effects are also likely to persist into adulthood for the affected child. When a child experiences

ACEs, it affects their ability to cope with stress and disrupts normal brain development

(Goldstein et al. 1861). Therefore, when their stress response pathways are still maturing,

prolonged activation of the stress response can disrupt normal brain development, resulting in a

child's susceptibility to depression as an adult (De Bellis and Zisk 187). Further, in the study

conducted on the relationship between depression and childhood adversity, Kaija R. Stern and

Zaneta M. Thayer state, "Consistent with prior ACEs research, we found that childhood

adversity was associated with significantly higher depression symptoms in adulthood" (1071).

This demonstrates how a child’s exposure to adversity elevates levels of depression, which can

trigger responses such as NSSI. This is likely to influence adolescents’ adulthood, as depression

can impair cognitive function and limit social interaction, hindering their chances for success.

Ultimately, when a child experiences ACEs during childhood, they are more likely to suffer from

depression in adulthood, limiting their chances of flourishing.

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Lastly, along with obesity and depression, ACEs can significantly contribute to major

causes of death in the United States, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Grummitt et al.

1269-1270). This chronic illness includes various underlying conditions affecting the heart and

blood vessels, as well as heart failure and stroke. As of 2021, the leading cause of death in the

United States among adults is CVD, also known as heart disease (Grummitt et al. 1272). A study

conducted by Lucinda R. Grummitt and fellow contributors examines the correlation between

CVD and ACEs and how childhood adversity affects the likelihood of developing heart disease.

The study states that the largest number of deaths linked to ACEs were from CVD and that there

were “More than 219,000 deaths from heart disease . . . [that] were attributed to experiencing CA

[Childhood Adversity]” in their study of 439,072 individuals (1274). Moreover, childhood

adversity can induce chronic stress responses, resulting in physiological alterations that

contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (1276). All in all, ACEs are a “powerful

determinant” (1270) in obtaining CVD in adulthood, which may have fatal effects on an

individual's life.

In conclusion, ACEs have become a crucial field of study due to their significant impact

on an individual's mental and physical health during adulthood. Research indicates a positive

correlation between childhood adversity and NSSI, obesity, depression, limited chances of

success, and heart disease. Poor family resilience during adolescence has been shown to decrease

the probability of a child being successful in adulthood, emphasizing the importance of creating

a supportive and nourishing family environment (Goldstein et al. 1862). Furthermore, ACEs can

amplify an individual's chances of having genetic predispositions, such as obesity or CVD,

highlighting the need to avoid ACEs to eliminate the negative health effects of childhood

adversity (Cuevas et al. 1875) (Grummitt et al. 1269). The emotional consequences of ACEs are
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demonstrated in the study conducted by Kaija R. Stern and Zaneta M. Thayer, which emphasizes

the susceptibility to depression in adulthood due to ACEs (187). In totality, these studies

accentuate the dire need for intervention strategies to mitigate ACEs and improve adolescents'

well-being before adulthood. By mitigating childhood adversity, negative, fatal, and long-lasting

effects will be prevented, thereby sustaining healthier outcomes for future generations.
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Works Cited

Cassels, Matthew, et al. “Poor Family Functioning Mediates the Link Between Childhood

Adversity and Adolescent Nonsuicidal Self‐injury.” Journal of Child Psychology and

Psychiatry, Vol.59, no. 8, 2018, p.881-887,

https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=e11b3212-7aec-462

0-8e55-7c8e5181d5e1%40redis

Cuevas, Adolfo G, et al . “The Weight of Childhood Adversity: Evidence That Childhood

Adversity Moderates the Impact of Genetic Risk on Waist Circumference in Adulthood.”

International Journal of Obesity, Vol.46, no. 10, 2021, p.1269-1278,

https://www.proquest.com/docview/2716391404?pq-origsite=primo&accountid=7081&_

oafollow=false&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

De Bellis, Michael D, and Abigail Zisk. “The Biological Effects of Childhood Trauma.” Child

and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Vol. 23, no. 2, 2014, p.185-222,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1056499314000030?via%3Dihub

Goldstein, Ellen, et al. “Influence of Race/Ethnicity and Income on the Link Between Adverse

Childhood Experiences and Child Flourishing.” Pediatric Research, Vol.89, no. 7, 2021,

p.1861-1869,

https://www.proquest.com/docview/2547168080?_oafollow=false&accountid=7081&pq-

origsite=primo&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Grummitt, Lucinda Rachel, et al. “Association of Childhood Adversity With Morbidity and

Mortality in US Adults: A Systematic Review.” JAMA Pediatrics, Vol.175, no. 12, 2021,

p.1269-1278,
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https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=4cafb46a-8265-493e

-a078-a0c8de34a136%40redis

Stern, Kaija R., and Zaneta M. Thayer. “Adversity in Childhood and Young Adulthood Predicts

Young Adult Depression.” International Journal of Public Health, Vol.64, no. 7, 2019,

p.1069-1074,

https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=71023475-31af-406

5-9841-c4172ee6a24e%40redis

Ward, Zachary J. et al. “Projected U.S. State-Level Prevalence of Adult Obesity and Severe

Obesity” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 381, no. 25, 2019, p.2440-2450,

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMsa1909301