Abdul Rahman1, Andrea Perri2, Avril Deegan3, Jennifer Kuntz4, David Cawthorpe5. 1. Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Mathison Centre for Mental Health in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. abdul.rahman@albertahealthservices.ca. 2. Director of Inpatient and Day Treatment Services for the Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Calgary Zone for Alberta Health Services in Alberta, Canada. andrea.perri@albertahealthservices.ca. 3. Director of Community and Specialized Services for the Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Calgary Zone for Alberta Health Services in Alberta, Canada. avril.deegan@albertahealthservices.ca. 4. Research and Evaluation Coordinator for Psychiatry & Community Services for the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. jennifer.kuntz@albertahealthservices.ca. 5. Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Services at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. cawthord@ucalgary.ca.
Abstract
CONTEXT: There is a movement toward trauma-informed, trauma-focused psychiatric treatment. OBJECTIVE: To examine Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey items by sex and by total scores by sex vs clinical measures of impairment to examine the clinical utility of the ACE survey as an index of trauma in a child and adolescent mental health care setting. DESIGN: Descriptive, polychoric factor analysis and regression analyses were employed to analyze cross-sectional ACE surveys (N = 2833) and registration-linked data using past admissions (N = 10,400) collected from November 2016 to March 2017 related to clinical data (28 independent variables), taking into account multicollinearity. RESULTS: Distinct ACE items emerged for males, females, and those with self-identified sex and for ACE total scores in regression analysis. In hierarchical regression analysis, the final models consisting of standard clinical measures and demographic and system variables (eg, repeated admissions) were associated with substantial ACE total score variance for females (44%) and males (38%). Inadequate sample size foreclosed on developing a reduced multivariable model for the self-identified sex group. CONCLUSION: The ACE scores relate to independent clinical measures and system and demographic variables. There are implications for clinical practice. For example, a child presenting with anxiety and a high ACE score likely requires treatment that is different from a child presenting with anxiety and an ACE score of zero. The ACE survey score is an important index of presenting clinical status that guides patient care planning and intervention in the progress toward a trauma-focused system of care.
CONTEXT: There is a movement toward trauma-informed, trauma-focused psychiatric treatment. OBJECTIVE: To examine Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey items by sex and by total scores by sex vs clinical measures of impairment to examine the clinical utility of the ACE survey as an index of trauma in a child and adolescent mental health care setting. DESIGN: Descriptive, polychoric factor analysis and regression analyses were employed to analyze cross-sectional ACE surveys (N = 2833) and registration-linked data using past admissions (N = 10,400) collected from November 2016 to March 2017 related to clinical data (28 independent variables), taking into account multicollinearity. RESULTS: Distinct ACE items emerged for males, females, and those with self-identified sex and for ACE total scores in regression analysis. In hierarchical regression analysis, the final models consisting of standard clinical measures and demographic and system variables (eg, repeated admissions) were associated with substantial ACE total score variance for females (44%) and males (38%). Inadequate sample size foreclosed on developing a reduced multivariable model for the self-identified sex group. CONCLUSION: The ACE scores relate to independent clinical measures and system and demographic variables. There are implications for clinical practice. For example, a child presenting with anxiety and a high ACE score likely requires treatment that is different from a child presenting with anxiety and an ACE score of zero. The ACE survey score is an important index of presenting clinical status that guides patient care planning and intervention in the progress toward a trauma-focused system of care.
Authors: Sara Cibralic; Mafruha Alam; Antonio Mendoza Diaz; Susan Woolfenden; Ilan Katz; Dimitra Tzioumi; Elisabeth Murphy; April Deering; Lorna McNamara; Shanti Raman; Valsamma Eapen Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-08-25 Impact factor: 3.006