Exploring Pathways from Childhood Adversity to Substance Use in Young Adults.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known risk factors for substance use.
• Limited data exists on specific ACEs' differential effects on various psychoactive substances.
• This study addresses a gap in understanding ACEs and substance use in Lithuania.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between specific ACEs and psychoactive substance use in young adults (18-29) in Lithuania.
• To differentiate the impact of various ACEs on alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and heavy psychoactive substance use.
• To explore the role of family addiction history in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional online survey of 709 participants.
• ACEs measured using adapted ACEs items and the MACE questionnaire.
• Substance use assessed via CUDIT-R, AUDIT, ASSIST, and nicotine use instruments.
• Structural equation modeling (SEM) used for predictive relationship analysis.

Main Results:

• Sexual abuse and physical maltreatment predicted increased alcohol use.
• Sexual abuse was linked to higher nicotine, cannabis, and heavy psychoactive substance use.
• Witnessing interpersonal violence correlated with higher nicotine use.
• Verbal abuse showed significant negative associations with several substance categories.
• No significant link found between family addiction history and substance use.

Conclusions:

• ACEs are not qualitatively equivalent; examining them separately is crucial.
• Verbal abuse's negative associations suggest ACEs may not always be the primary drivers of substance use.
• Environmental and psychosocial factors might be more influential than genetics.
• Further research should identify other key factors influencing substance use.