Citation

Meldrum RC, Campion Young B, Soor S, Hay C, Copp JE, Trace M, Smith-Darden JP, Kernsmith PD. Crim. Justice Behav. 2020; 47(2): 166-186.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0093854819879741

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A large body of research links both a lack of self-control and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a variety of negative health and behavior outcomes, including delinquent and criminal behavior. To date, relatively little research considers whether experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is associated with lower self-control. We advance this area of research by first articulating potential mechanisms through which ACEs may impact self-control. We then investigate whether experiencing more ACEs is inversely associated with self-control in separate samples of youth from Michigan and Florida. For both samples, results indicate that experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is negatively associated with self-control. Exploratory analyses also indicate that ACEs reflecting interpersonal maltreatment are more strongly associated with deficits in self-control than ACEs pertaining to aspects of household dysfunction.

Language: en

Keywords

adverse childhood experiences; Florida Department of Juvenile Justice; household dysfunction; maltreatment; self-control; Supporting Healthy Adolescent Relationships and Environments study