The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and self-sufficiency problems in early adulthood among violent...

Although adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are related to many single negative outcomes, its relation with multiproblem situations in early adulthood is largely unknown.

To examine ACE's relation with self-sufficiency problems (SSP) in important life-domains among a sample of young adult violent offenders.

Participants were drafted from a local diversion program for violent repeat offenders. Young adults who agreed to a social-psychiatric screening and who had a history of juvenile probation were eligible to participate.

The screening included the assessment of SSP (N = 523). ACE prevalences were retrieved from historic juvenile probation files (N = 122). The ACE-SSP relation was assessed with multivariable regression analyses with ACE and SSP as cumulative measures.

Offenders presented with 6.1 SSPs from 10 life-domains on average and had been exposed to 3.1 ACEs. Exposure to 4+ ACEs was observed for 42 % of the sample. ACE was positively associated with SSP (β = .38, p < .01) and with impaired functioning in the distinct domains finances (OR = 1.53, p < .05), addiction (OR = 1.33, p < .05), community participation (OR = 1.28, p < .05) and housing (OR = 1.22, p < .05).

Both ACE and SSP are common among violent offenders. Higher diversity in ACE was associated with higher diversity in SSP. Juvenile probation for high-risk juveniles should focus on preventing functioning problems in multiple life-domains. Diversion efforts for young adult offenders require sensitivity to personal histories and vigilance about multi-problem situations.