Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Health Outcomes

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can drive poor adultmental and physical health, but the impact of early life protective factors should not be overlooked. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) measures quantify protective factors, but evidence is lacking on their link to health conditions independent of ACEs in nationally representative studies. This study examines associations between composite PCE score and adult health, adjusting for ACEs. METHODS: The most recent 2017 wave of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a nationally representative study and its 2014 Childhood Retrospective Circumstances supplement (n 5 7496) collected adult health outcomes, PCEs, and ACEs. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between PCE score and adult self-rated health or condition diagnosis, with and without ACEs adjustment. Cox proportional hazards models examined relationships between PCEs, ACEs, and annual risk of diagnosis. RESULTS: Adultswith 5 to 6 PCEs had 75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.93) of the risk of fair/poor overall health and 74% of the risk of any psychiatric diagnosis (CI, 0.59-0.89) compared with thosewith 0 to 2 PCEs, independent of ACEs. In survival analysismodels accounting for PCEs and ACEs, reporting 5 to 6 PCEswas associatedwith a 16% lower annual hazard of developing any adult psychiatric or physical condition (hazard ratio, 0.84; CI, 0.75-0.94); reporting 31ACEswas associatedwith a 42% higher annual hazard (CI, 1.27-1.59). CONCLUSIONS: PCEs were independently associated with lower risks of fair or poor adult health, adult mental health problems, and developing any physical or mental health condition at any given age after adjusting for ACEs.

Automated summary

This study examines the relationship between positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and adult health, considering the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The results show that adults with more PCEs have lower risks of poor overall health and psychiatric diagnosis, independent of ACEs. Additionally, the study finds that higher PCEs are associated with a lower annual hazard of developing any adult psychiatric or physical condition, while higher ACEs are associated with a higher annual hazard. Therefore, PCEs have an independent impact on adult health outcomes.