Poster #42 - The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Wellbeing in Care Leavers: The Role of Attachment

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

Millions of adults world-wide were separated from parental care during childhood. During separations, children often reside in alternative care, including residential or foster care. Outcomes for adults who have transitioned out of alternative care, or care leavers, are often poor. Research suggests this may, in part, be a result of a high prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), experienced by this population, both prior to and after separation from parental care. This has led to an increase in research examining the role of protective factors related to better outcomes for this population. A growing body of research has suggested that attachment might serve as a mechanism underlying the relationship between ACEs and adult wellbeing in other high-risk populations. However, little work has examined the role that attachment may play in the outcomes in care leavers. Care leavers were separated from their parents during childhood, a pivotal time for the formation of the internal working model for attachment, and are also at high risk for ACEs. As such, it is important to understand the impact of attachment on the relationship between ACEs and wellbeing in care leavers. The current study examined the mediating role of attachment avoidance and anxiety in the associations between ACEs and mental health, physical health, and life satisfaction in a sample of 529 care leavers from 11 nations. All participants were separated from their biological parents during childhood for at least twelve months and placed in residential (78.8%) or foster care (35.3%). The most commonly reported nations of residence during childhood were India (n=136), the USA (n=101), Kenya (n=94), and Zimbabwe (n=41). The current study had three hypotheses: 1) The relationship between ACEs and life satisfaction would be mediated by attachment avoidance and anxiety, 2) the relationship between ACEs and mental health would be mediated by attachment avoidance and anxiety, and 3) the relationship between childhood adversity and physical health would be mediated by attachment avoidance and anxiety. To examine whether attachment anxiety and avoidance mediated these relationships we used multiple mediation analysis. Current age, gender, Human Development Index of nation of residence during childhood, age of separation from biological parents, and total number of placements were also included in the models. Participants reported a high prevalence of ACEs (M=4.17; SD=2.20) with 57.3% (n=303) of participants reporting four or more ACEs. Supporting hypothesis 1, multiple mediation analysis showed that attachment anxiety and avoidance partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and life satisfaction (Fig. 1). Supporting hypothesis 2, multiple mediation analysis showed that attachment anxiety and avoidance partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and mental health (Fig. 2). For hypothesis 3, multiple mediation analysis showed that attachment avoidance partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and physical health. Attachment anxiety did not mediate the relationship for physical health. Taken together, the present study suggests that both attachment anxiety and avoidance play important, but unique, roles in understanding the relationship between ACEs, health, and wellbeing for care leavers.

Authors

• Amanda Howard, Samford University
  Presenting Author

• Getrude Gwenzi

• Sydney Tucker

• Trent Taylor, Watch Me Rise

• Nicole Wilke, CAFO