ACE-IQ extended version validation and ACE's frequency in Mexican adolescents

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Public Health Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) significantly impact development and health.
• Research on ACEs is limited in low- and middle-income countries.
• Reducing recall bias in ACEs research is crucial globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• Translate, adapt, and validate the extended Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) for Mexican adolescents.
• Determine the frequency of various ACEs within this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 5835 Mexican adolescents from 20 states.
• Utilized an extended version of the ACE-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) assessing 23 ACEs.
• Validated the questionnaire for construct validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• The final ACE-IQ version included 16 ACEs.
• 90% of adolescents reported experiencing one or more ACEs.
• Neglect was the most prevalent ACE (73.30%), with no significant demographic differences.

Conclusions:

• The ACE-IQ is a reliable and valid instrument for studying ACEs in Mexican adolescents.
• A high prevalence of ACEs (90%) was found in the sample.
• Approximately one-third of adolescents experienced six or more ACEs.