Age-varying associations between adverse childhood experiences profiles and heavy episodic drinking across...

This study examines how profiles of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with heavy episodic drinking (HED) across ages 12-42 using longitudinal data from the nationally representative National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) study.

We used up to five waves of longitudinal data from Add Health (N = 3,147; 58.8% female, 41.2% male; 64.7% White, 19.7% African American/Black, 9.3% Hispanic/Latino, 2.8% Asian, 2.7% other). We first used latent class analysis to uncover profiles marked by different patterns of ACEs experienced before age 12/Grade 6. We then used these profiles as predictors in a time-varying effect model to examine how they predicted odds of past-year HED and frequent HED across age.

We uncovered six latent classes of ACEs: low ACEs (58%), parental alcohol use and divorce (19%), physical and emotional abuse (8%), violent crime exposure (6%), abuse and violent crime victimization (5%), and sexual abuse and physical maltreatment (4%). Parental alcohol use and divorce, violent crime exposure, parental abuse and violent crime victimization, and sexual abuse and physical maltreatment had increased odds of HED compared to the low ACEs class at some ages, primarily during adolescence or in the 30s.

Differing patterns of ACEs are associated with unique patterns of drinking that differ from the pattern among those without ACE exposure, who experience a temporary increase in risk for HED during early adulthood. Targeted and tailored prevention programs should focus on the patterns and motivations for drinking for those with different ACE exposures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).