Downes Jeff M, Smith-Boydston Julie M
Psychology Department, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, USA.
Community Ment Health J. 2025 Apr 30. doi: 10.1007/s10597-025-01466-9.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are experiences of abuse, neglect, and other household problems occurring before age 18 and contribute to the development of both physical and mental health concerns. People experiencing homelessness report disproportionately higher rates of ACEs and negative mental health concerns; however, little research has been conducted regarding the relationship between ACEs and mental health outcomes specifically for homeless populations. A dearth of research also exists regarding how childhood experiences of homelessness interact with ACEs and mental health outcomes. The present study examined the mental health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness, as well as how childhood experiences of homelessness may fit into the ACEs model using archival data. People experiencing homelessness (n = 100) completed the ACEs questionnaire, a demographics questionnaire, and a health appraisal questionnaire. Results found ACEs significantly predicted negative mental health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. Childhood experiences of homelessness were predictive of negative mental health outcomes; however, this relationship became negligible when acting as a covariate with ACEs. This result suggests that the ACEs framework adequately explains the effects of traumatic events for children experiencing homelessness and the subsequent negative mental health outcomes.
童年不良经历（ACEs）是指在18岁之前发生的虐待、忽视及其他家庭问题经历，这些经历会导致身心健康问题。无家可归者报告称，他们遭受ACEs的比例及负面心理健康问题的发生率格外高；然而，针对ACEs与无家可归人群心理健康结果之间的关系，相关研究甚少。关于童年无家可归经历如何与ACEs及心理健康结果相互作用，这方面的研究也很匮乏。本研究利用档案数据，考察了无家可归者的心理健康结果，以及童年无家可归经历如何适用于ACEs模型。100名无家可归者完成了ACEs问卷、一份人口统计学问卷和一份健康评估问卷。结果发现，ACEs能显著预测无家可归者的负面心理健康结果。童年无家可归经历可预测负面心理健康结果；然而，当作为ACEs的协变量时，这种关系就变得微不足道了。这一结果表明，ACEs框架充分解释了创伤事件对无家可归儿童的影响以及随后产生的负面心理健康结果。
