Adverse Childhood Experiences, Risk Factors in the Onset of Autoimmune Diseases in Adults: A Meta-Analysis

Public Significance Statement This study suggests that ACEs might represent a risk factor for developing an autoimmune disease as adult. Our analyses by specific types of childhood trauma provided insights into a possible connection between emotional abuse, emotional neglect, witnessing violence at home, and autoimmune diseases, especially localized diseases such as psoriasis, alopecia areata, or multiple sclerosis. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events with a major impact on health. Though many studies have been conducted on the association between ACEs and autoimmune diseases (ADs), no attempt has been made so far to summarize the results of these empirical studies comprehensively. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide the first and objective summary of research regarding the influence of ACEs on ADs and to analyze inconsistencies across studies, hoping to rich a unitary conclusion. Eighteen studies investigating the relationship between ACEs and ADs were included. A random-effects model was used for pooling the effect sizes (ESs). The findings indicate a statistically not significant overall effect, g = .17, 95% CI [-.01 to .34]. Several potential moderator variables were examined and discussed. The findings of the subgroup analyses indicate an association with some specific variables. Small ESs were observed for emotional abuse, g = .25, 95% CI [.22-.28], emotional neglect, g = .27, 95% CI [.17-.36], and witnessing violence, g = .29, 95% CI [.26-.33]. The ES was only significant when ACEs were measured for localized ADs, g = .30, 95% CI [.17-.43], in case-control, g = .29, 95% CI [-.08 to .66], cohort designs, g = .21, 95% CI [-.07 to .49], and when the comparison group was general population, g = .34, 95% CI [.19-.48]. The present meta-analysis suggests that ACEs are not significantly associated with ADs in adults. However, the findings of the subgroup analyses indicate an association with some specific variables.

Automated summary

This study suggests that childhood trauma, specifically emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and witnessing violence at home, may be linked to the development of autoimmune diseases in adults. While the overall effect was not significant, specific variables such as emotional abuse, neglect, and witnessing violence showed small effects on autoimmune diseases.