The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and developmental disorders: implications for family support and child advocacy

ABSTRACT

The association between developmental disorders, specifically ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is examined in this study. The National Survey of Children’s Health was utilized to generate odds ratios using logistic regression. Children with developmental disorders had higher odds of all ACEs compared to neurotypical children. ASD diagnosis had the strongest correlation with Community ACEs, while ADHD diagnosis was more strongly correlated with household ACEs. Co-occurring ASD/ADHD correlated strongly with abuse/neglect ACEs. These findings indicate the need for targeted interventions to reduce experiences of ACEs and support access to and navigation of healthcare systems.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available on the Census Bureau’s NSCH page at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nsch/data/datasets.html.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.