Family And Childhood Adversity- A Quantitative Study Of Household Dysfunction Using ACE-IQ Data From Madhya Pradesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/0m96j822Keywords:
domestic, neglect, abuse, parental alcoholism, adverse childhood experience, IndiaAbstract
Background:
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been recognized as significant predictors of long-term physical and mental health outcomes. Household dysfunction, including parental substance use, mental illness, domestic violence, and disrupted family structures, contributes heavily to the burden of ACEs. This study investigates the association between these household-level adversities and ACE prevalence among youth in Madhya Pradesh, India. To examine the prevalence of key ACE domains and assess their association with indicators of family dysfunction—specifically, parental substance use, mental illness, separation/divorce, and incarceration.
Methods:
A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 203 participants using the WHO ACE-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine associations between parental alcohol/drug use and specific ACE domains, including neglect, abuse, and domestic violence.
Conclusion:
Emotional neglect (51.2%) and physical neglect (46.3%) were the most frequently reported ACEs. Parental substance use was significantly associated with increased odds of sexual abuse (OR = 3.019, p = 0.046). Elevated, though non-significant, odds were also observed for emotional abuse (OR = 4.28) and exposure to violence (OR = 2.86). Household dysfunction plays a critical role in shaping childhood adversity. The strong association between parental substance use and sexual abuse, along with high rates of neglect, highlights the need for family-focused intervention strategies. Early identification, routine ACE screening, and integrated mental health support are essential to break intergenerational cycles of trauma.
References
Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998 May;14(4):245–58.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Adverse Childhood Experiences [Internet]. U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, Guinn AS. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences From the 2011-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 23 States. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Nov 1;172(11):1038–44.
Mlouki I, Majdoub M, Hariz E, Silini A, Mrabet HE, Rezg N, et al. Gender differences in adverse childhood experiences, resilience and internet addiction among Tunisian students: Exploring the mediation effect. PLOS Global Public Health. 2024 Jan;4(1):1–13.
Majid M, Ab Rahman A, Taib F. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Risk Behaviours among the Undergraduate Health Campus Students. Malays J Med Sci. 2023 Feb;30(1):152–61.
Webster EM. The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and Development in Young Children. Global Pediatric Health. 2022 Jan 1;9:2333794X221078708.
Damodaran D, K V. The Unveiled Indian Picture of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Socio-Demographic Correlates Among Youth in Kerala. 2019 Jan 23;6:1248–57.
Maurya C, Maurya P. Adverse childhood experiences and health risk behaviours among adolescents and young adults: evidence from India. BMC Public Health. 2023 Mar 21;23(1):536.
Fernandes GS, Spiers A, Vaidya N, Zhang Y, Sharma E, Holla B, et al. Adverse childhood experiences and substance misuse in young people in India: results from the multisite cVEDA cohort. BMC Public Health. 2021 Oct 23;21(1):1920.
Luft HS, Mersky JP, Choi C, Canario Guzmán JA, Quezada Ortiz MV, Sehi GT, et al. Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and association with dating violence and symptoms of mental illness among adolescents in the Dominican Republic. Child Abuse Negl. 2022 Jul;129:105668.
Ramiro LS, Madrid BJ, Brown DW. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and health-risk behaviors among adults in a developing country setting. Child Abuse Negl. 2010 Nov;34(11):842–55.
Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, Guinn AS, Chen J, Klevens J, et al. Vital Signs: Estimated Proportion of Adult Health Problems Attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implications for Prevention - 25 States, 2015-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019 Nov 8;68(44):999–1005.
Swedo EA, Holditch Niolon P, Anderson KN, Li J, Brener N, Mpofu J, et al. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2024 Nov 1;154(5):e2024066633.
Le T, Dang HM, Weiss B. Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among Vietnamese high school students. Child Abuse Negl. 2022 Jun;128:105628.
Tran TD, Luchters S, Fisher J. Early childhood development: impact of national human development, family poverty, parenting practices and access to early childhood education. Child Care Health Dev. 2017 May;43(3):415–26.
Chacko AZ, Paul JSG, Vishwanath R, Sreevathsan S, Bennet D, Livingstone PD, et al. A study on child sexual abuse reported by urban indian college students. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 Sep;11(9):5072–6.
Fernandes G, Fernandes M, Vaidya N, De Souza P, Plotnikova E, Geddes R, et al. Prevalence of child maltreatment in India and its association with gender, urbanisation and policy: a rapid review and meta-analysis protocol. BMJ Open. 2021 Aug 9;11(8):e044983.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Anusree Jayamohan, Shashi Prabha Tomar, Prashant Verma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.