@article{ref1,
title="Adverse childhood experiences, dispositional mindfulness, and adult health",
journal="Preventive medicine",
year="2014",
author="Whitaker, Robert C. and Dearth-Wesley, Tracy and Gooze, Rachel A. and Becker, Brandon D. and Gallagher, Kathleen C. and McEwen, Bruce S.",
volume="67",
number="",
pages="147-153",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine whether greater dispositional mindfulness is associated with better adult health across a range of exposures to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). <br><br>METHODS: In 2012, a web-based survey of 2160 Pennsylvania Head Start staff was conducted. We assessed ACE score (count of eight childhood adversities), dispositional mindfulness (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised), and the prevalence of three outcomes: multiple health conditions (≥3 of 7 conditions), poor health behavior (≥2 of 5 behaviors), and poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) (≥2 of 5 indicators). <br><br>RESULTS: Respondents were 97% females, and 23% reported ≥3 ACEs. The prevalences of multiple health conditions, poor health behavior, and poor HRQOL were 29%, 21%, and 13%, respectively. At each level of ACE exposure, health outcomes were better in those with greater mindfulness. For example, among persons reporting ≥3 ACEs, those in the highest quartile of mindfulness had a prevalence of multiple health conditions two-thirds that of those in the lowest quartile (adjusted prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval)=0.66 (0.51, 0.86)); for those reporting no ACEs, the ratio was 0.62 (0.41, 0.94). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Across a range of exposures to ACEs, greater dispositional mindfulness was associated with fewer health conditions, better health behavior, and better HRQOL.<p/> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0091-7435",
doi="10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.07.029",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.07.029"
}