Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Adult Antisocial Behaviors: A Comparison of Perceived Support Moderators

• In Event: Invariance and Moderators of ACEs and Parental Attachment on Delinquency and Interpersonal Violence

Abstract

The relationship between childhood adverse experiences (ACEs) and antisocial behaviors later in life has been an ongoing discussion in recent research. Previous studies have established this relationship, promoting a shift in the research focus toward identifying potential protective factors attenuating this association. Among these, support from others - both familial and social - has emerged as a salient potential buffer. Although previous studies suggest that familial and social support indicators appear to moderate the relationship between ACEs and later-life antisocial behaviors, they predominantly examined this effect either during childhood and adolescence or in adulthood. Notably, there is a dearth of research comparing the effectiveness of familial and social support across different developmental stages. The current study aims to address this knowledge gap. To do so, we conducted a series of structural equation models to analyze nationally representative data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Preliminary and expected results varyingly support both long-term (childhood, adolescence) and proximal (adulthood) buffering effects. Findings are interpreted through the lenses of both life course and social learning perspectives.

Authors

• Hangrui Tian, Pepperdine University

• Eric Eben Sevareid, Pepperdine University