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Fathers' Adverse Childhood Experiences and Children's Behavioral Problems
Natalie Grafft1, Stephanie Armbruster2, Rebekah Levine Coley3
1School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Introduction:
Adverse childhood experiences can have negative consequences across generations. Yet, most evidence comes from mothers; far less is known about fathers. The aim of this study was to estimate associations between fathers' adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in their children and to determine how much of this association is mediated through fathers' depressive symptoms using home-based (i.e., abuse, household dysfunction) and community-based (i.e., discrimination, community violence) adverse childhood experiences.
Methods:
Data were drawn from 893 participants from a cohort of fathers with children aged 1-6 years (at baseline). Data were collected from 2021 to 2024 and analyzed in 2024-2025. Log-binomial models were fit to examine associations between fathers' home-based and community-based adverse childhood experiences and the presence of behavioral problems in their children, adjusting for fathers' race/ethnicity. In mediation analyses, the interventional direct and indirect effects of fathers' adverse childhood experiences on children's behavioral problems through fathers' depressive symptoms were estimated, adjusting for fathers' race/ethnicity and income.
Results:
Compared with fathers' reporting 0 home-based adverse childhood experiences, those reporting 1 adverse childhood experience had children with a 28% (RR=1.28, 95% CI=1.01, 1.61) greater likelihood of behavioral problems. Fathers with ≥2 home-based adverse childhood experiences had children with a 33% (RR=1.33, 95% CI=1.05, 1.67) greater likelihood of behavioral problems. For community-based adverse childhood experiences, compared with fathers reporting 0 adverse childhood experiences, those reporting 1 adverse childhood experience had children with a 32% (RR=1.32, 95% CI=1.06, 1.66) greater likelihood of behavioral problems, and those reporting ≥2 adverse childhood experiences had children with a 40% (RR=1.40, 95% CI=1.07, 1.83) greater likelihood. Fathers' depressive symptoms accounted for a small portion of the total effect of fathers' adverse childhood experiences on their children's behavioral problems.
Conclusions:
Fathers' adverse childhood experiences are associated with children's behavioral problems, functioning in part indirectly through fathers' depressive symptoms. Future research should examine the feasibility of screening for fathers' adverse childhood experiences and mental health, potentially during pediatric encounters.
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