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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in young adult carers relative to non-carer peers and relations with mental health, caregiving and socio-demographics

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posted on 2025-05-27, 11:36 authored by Giulia Landi, Aoife Bowman GrangelAoife Bowman Grangel, Kenneth I Pakenham, Stephen Gallagher, Silvana Grandi, Eliana Tossani

Young adult carers (YACs) report poorer mental health than their peers. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) constitute a mental health risk factor. Prior quantitative research has not investigated ACEs in YACs. Hence, this study explores ACEs in YACs and aims to: (1) compare ACEs in two groups of YACs (chronically ill parent and chronically ill non-parent family member contexts) with non-carer peers; (2) examine relations between caregiving and ACEs; (3) explore relations between socio-demographics and ACEs; (4) examine relationships between ACEs and mental health (depression, anxiety, well-being). A total of 1,823 Italians aged 18–29 completed an online survey. Of these, 1,458 reported no ill family member (non-carers) and 365 reported an ill family member (YACs); 268 with an ill parent, 97 with an ill non-parent family member. As predicted, YACs reported significantly higher ACEs than non-carers regardless of care context. Most reported ACEs in YACs: emotional neglect, emotional abuse, household mental illness, separation-divorce. Unexpectedly, caregiving was not significantly correlated with ACEs. Lower socio-economic status was correlated with higher ACEs. As hypothesised, higher ACEs predicted higher depression and anxiety and lower well-being. Results show that YACs are at greater risk of ACEs than non-carer peers, and that higher ACEs predict poorer mental health, hence supports should be developed that mitigate the harmful mental health effects of ACEs in YACs.

History

Publication

Child Indicators Research, 2025,18, pp.1393–1414

Publisher

Springer

Other Funding information

Open access funding provided by Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.

Sustainable development goals

  • (16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Department or School

  • Psychology

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