Summary:
Adverse childhood Experiences (ACE) are called the result of negative events or experiences that take place before adulthood ( before the age of 18).
Adverse childhood Experiences occur during a developmental period where physical and mental maturity have not accomplished. For these reasons the interpretation and analysis of traumatic events cannot be accomplished successfully. When traumatic experiences are recurring such as neglect and abuse, brain structural and functional changes can promote dysfunctional hormonal secretion, reduced brain capacity in handling, decoding and interpreting information, and contribute to cognitive, interactive and learning skills deficiencies.
In this study it will be explored the relationship between ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and addictive attitudes such as substance addictions, smoking and alcohol consume to young adults studying at DIEK (Public Institution of Educational Training) that have been exposed to the devastating consequences of Greek debt crisis which lasted for more than ten years during their second decade of their life, a developmentally crucial period of them.
International research data have related the number and the frequency of ACE with the early onset and gravity of substance addictions. Trauma mental suffering, stress and anxiety, social phobia can be eased during the use while social activity, interpersonal communication, team cooperation is further facilitated (Menard, 2007), (Hovdestad, 2011), (Afifi,2012).
Moreover, ACE early in life can contribute to dysfunctional hormonal secretion such as Dopamine, the hormone of happiness that is deficient in children with ACE. Lack of dopamine during adolescence is related to affective and sexual instability, risky behaviors, juvenile delinquency, adrenaline related extreme sports, substance use and misuse. These risky, excited and adrenaline related activities is considered to raise dopamine blood levels relieving anxiety and stress stemming from neglect and abuse (Macri, S. & H. Wurbel., 2006)( Rondriguez, 2011 )(Champaign, 2004,2008), (Brake, 2004), (Rondriguez, 2011), ( Buchmann ,2015).
Furthermore, oxytocine, love and attachment hormone that is strongly connected to sociability and qualitative attachment bonds is also produced in reduced amounts to people with ACE. Diminished social motivation, reduced affiliative behavior, impaired social learning, increased aggressive behavior, dysfunctional communication skills are leading causes to alienation, marginalization and substance misuse (Meyer-Lindenberg ,2011),( Neumann, 2012),( Buisman-Pijlman,2014), (Macri, 2006),( Rondriguez, 2011).
Last but not least the HPA axis (the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis-ΗΡΑ) is over stimulated in individuals that have experienced ACE. The overflow of stress hormones that this system meanly produces is associated with anxiety and mood disorders that further are correlated to susceptibility to substance misuse.(Sanchez, 2006),(Gunnar, 2001),(Gunnar, 1996), ( Sanchez,2010), ( Anisman, 1998), ( Caldji, 2000).
Longlasting researches have established the strong negative association between ACE and academic attainment. Structural brain alterations which lead to dysfunctional stress hormonal secretion, diminished dopamine and oxytocine secretion as well as PTSD can be manifested as learning, concentration, organization and memory difficulties and deficiencies(De Bellis, 2009), (Alokan,2010).
Academic underperformance is a precipitating factor for behavioral difficulties, exams failure, juvenile delinquency and school drops out and substance misuse.(Lysaker,2001), (Grassi-Oliveira,2008), (Shannon,2011), (Grassi-Oliveira, 2011).
As far as regarding the methodology of quantitative study, 142 adults learners that study at DIEK Chaidariou (Public Institution of Educational Training ) attending the second year of VET courses is the study sample. The trainees have filled two questionnaires-measures, the first is the (Early Trauma Inventory-Self-Report-Short-Form, ETI-SR-SF) and the second is also a self-report questionnaire measuring sociodemographic learners’ data. In detail, it contained data about the sex, the age, family status and questions about smoking habits (Do you smoking? YES/NO). As far as the alcohol use there were questions about the quantity and the frequency of alcohol consumption. The final question was about last year average grade score.
The main findings of the present study are correspondent to those of previous published data about the detrimental consequences of ACE during the lifetime. Firstly the number, the frequency and the gravity of ACE in those learners who have experienced more than 4 traumatic events according to their answer to trauma questionnaire is positively related to smoking and alcohol use and misuse while it is negatively related to academic performance.
In detail, the rate of ACE in sample is very high because 98 from 142 learners 69.1% almost 70%, 2/3 of the sample have experienced 5 to 20 traumatic events. The group with the majority of ACE was the biggest in number. Moreover, subjects with many traumatic experiences have referred during the first part of ACE questionnaire which detects trauma of several sources that have exposed to many abusive events in domestic or close social cycle.
At the second and third part of ACE questionnaire where incidents of physical and emotional abuse are detected the group with more than 5-20 traumatic experiences scored very high especially at questions involving emotional abuse providing evidences that emotional abuse in the leading cause of ACE in young adults.
Additionally, groups with more than five ACE manifest double smoking rates than the group with less than five ACE. Almost the same results have been extracted from the analysis of alcohol use. Significant differences were also found between groups regarding academic attainment, revealing that the group with fewer ACE has attained higher grades.
Regarding the comparisons between demographic variables such as age, sex and ACE interesting results have been extracted. On the one hand men refer more ACE experiences than women, scoring very high, usually more than 10 traumatic events including more physical and emotional abuse and on the other hand younger adults have encountered larger numbers of abusive experiences than older colleagues.
In summary, the findings of the study, although they cannot be generalized, are indicative that traumatic experiences, occurring before the age of 18 can have devastating consequences because many human qualities and personality features such as sociability, interpersonal relationships, physical, mental health can be affected. The eradication of the fundamental, promoting factors that can lead to ACE such as, poverty, unemployment, social and racial inequality and the promotion of maternity and family support, the development of social, health and educational services and will provide buffer effect that will relieve, support vulnerable groups, will substantially reduce domestic violence and abuse, and finally improve societal mental health and resilience.
