@article{ref1,
title="Frequencies and patterns of adverse childhood events in LGBTQ+ youth",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2020",
author="Craig, Shelley L. and Austin, Ashley and Levenson, Jill and Leung, Vivian W. Y. and Eaton, Andrew D. and D'Souza, Sandra A.",
volume="107",
number="",
pages="e104623-e104623",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Trauma, specifically adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), predicts significant health and mental health disparities, yet there is a paucity of research with LGBTQ + youth.   OBJECTIVE: This study explored ACE prevalence in a large sample of LGBTQ+ youth; examined ACE patterns within and across subgroups; and compared results with the general population.   PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participant (n = 3,508) ages ranged between 14-18 (x̄ = 16.02) and represented a range of sexual orientations: pansexual (33.9 %), bisexual (26.6 %), and queer (16.2 %), and gender identities: female (39.9 %), non-conforming (38 %), male (14.9 %), and transgender (16.6 %).   METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-18 that self-identified as LGBTQ+ and resided in the US or Canada. Descriptive statistics generated the prevalence of ACEs, and ANOVAs and post-hoc tests were run for comparisons.   RESULTS: Participants reported multiple ACEs (M = 3.14, SD = 2.44) with emotional neglect (58 %), emotional abuse (56 %), and living with a family member with mental illness (51 %) as the most prevalent. Notably, 43 % of participants experienced 4+ ACEs, considered to be a high level of trauma exposure. Compared to national samples, LGBTQ + youth demonstrated unique patterns of ACEs and were higher in 9 of 10 categories. Significantly high (all p <.001) ACEs were found in pansexual (t = 7.67), transgender and gender non-conforming (t = 5.19), American-Indian (t = 6.42), Latinx (t = 2.83) and rural youth (F = 12.12) while those with highly educated parents (F = 83.30, p <.001), lived with a parent (t = 6.02), and in Canada (t = 6.14) reported fewer ACEs.   CONCLUSION: LGBTQ+ youth experience significant childhood trauma with potential impact on their mental health. This study identifies implications for trauma-informed practice and research.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104623",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104623"
}