Menno Segeren1, Thijs Fassaert2, Matty de Wit3, Christel Grimbergen2, Arne Popma4. 1. Public Health Service Amsterdam, Dept. of Epidemiology, Health Promotion and Care Innovation, Postbox 2200, 1000 CE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: msegeren@ggd.amsterdam.nl. 2. Public Health Service Amsterdam, Dept. of Community Mental Health Care, Postbox 2200, 1000 CE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 3. Public Health Service Amsterdam, Dept. of Epidemiology, Health Promotion and Care Innovation, Postbox 2200, 1000 CE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Postbox 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are related to many single negative outcomes, its relation with multiproblem situations in early adulthood is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine ACE's relation with self-sufficiency problems (SSP) in important life-domains among a sample of young adult violent offenders. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants were drafted from a local diversion program for violent repeat offenders. Young adults who agreed to a social-psychiatric screening and who had a history of juvenile probation were eligible to participate. METHODS: The screening included the assessment of SSP (N = 523). ACE prevalences were retrieved from historic juvenile probation files (N = 122). The ACE-SSP relation was assessed with multivariable regression analyses with ACE and SSP as cumulative measures. RESULTS: Offenders presented with 6.1 SSPs from 10 life-domains on average and had been exposed to 3.1 ACEs. Exposure to 4+ ACEs was observed for 42 % of the sample. ACE was positively associated with SSP (β = .38, p < .01) and with impaired functioning in the distinct domains finances (OR = 1.53, p < .05), addiction (OR = 1.33, p < .05), community participation (OR = 1.28, p < .05) and housing (OR = 1.22, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Both ACE and SSP are common among violent offenders. Higher diversity in ACE was associated with higher diversity in SSP. Juvenile probation for high-risk juveniles should focus on preventing functioning problems in multiple life-domains. Diversion efforts for young adult offenders require sensitivity to personal histories and vigilance about multi-problem situations.
BACKGROUND: Although adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are related to many single negative outcomes, its relation with multiproblem situations in early adulthood is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine ACE's relation with self-sufficiency problems (SSP) in important life-domains among a sample of young adult violent offenders. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING:Participants were drafted from a local diversion program for violent repeat offenders. Young adults who agreed to a social-psychiatric screening and who had a history of juvenile probation were eligible to participate. METHODS: The screening included the assessment of SSP (N = 523). ACE prevalences were retrieved from historic juvenile probation files (N = 122). The ACE-SSP relation was assessed with multivariable regression analyses with ACE and SSP as cumulative measures. RESULTS: Offenders presented with 6.1 SSPs from 10 life-domains on average and had been exposed to 3.1 ACEs. Exposure to 4+ ACEs was observed for 42 % of the sample. ACE was positively associated with SSP (β = .38, p < .01) and with impaired functioning in the distinct domains finances (OR = 1.53, p < .05), addiction (OR = 1.33, p < .05), community participation (OR = 1.28, p < .05) and housing (OR = 1.22, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Both ACE and SSP are common among violent offenders. Higher diversity in ACE was associated with higher diversity in SSP. Juvenile probation for high-risk juveniles should focus on preventing functioning problems in multiple life-domains. Diversion efforts for young adult offenders require sensitivity to personal histories and vigilance about multi-problem situations.