The Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Corporal Punishment in Early Adulthood Depression and Substance Use among Ukrainian College Students

AbstractViolence against children is a worldwide problem, and a large body of research demonstrates both short-term and long-term negative outcomes. The present study employs structural equation modeling to examine the pathways from parents ’ use of corporal punishment and childhood adverse experiences to depression and substance use in adulthood. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 944 students (Mage = 19.16, 69% females) attending ten public universities in 27 Ukrainian regions. The model provided a good fit for the data: χ2 (59,N = 944) = 189.49,p <  0.001, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.048. Higher scores on adverse childhood experiences (ACE) maltreatment items (psychological, physical and sexual abuse during childhood;b = .26,p <  .001) were associated with higher depression during adulthood. Higher depression scores were linked with higher multiple substance use (b = .17,p <  .001). Childhood adverse experiences had significant standardized indirect effect, mediated by depression, on adulthood involvement in substance use (b = 0.043,p <  0.01). Findings from this research suggest that young adults in Ukraine who remember being maltreated as children have a higher risk to develop depression and engage in substance use as adults.
Source: Journal of Family Violence - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research