Adverse Childhood Experiences, Active Coping, and Cognition in Older African Americans: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Minority Aging Research Study

Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) increase risk for chronic conditions and health-compromising behaviors across the life course. In many studies, African Americans are at the highest risk for childhood adversity among racial and ethnic groups. Few ACE-related studies focus on ACEs’ impact on older African Americans’ health. Fewer still examine how ACEs influence cognition in older African Americans. The John Henryism Active Coping Scale assesses the coping style of overworking to deal with continuous stressors caused by economic and social discrimination. This study investigates the relationship between ACEs and cognition in older African Americans and explores whether active coping moderates the effects of ACEs on cognition in late life. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of data from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), a longitudinal community-based study examining cognitive health and aging in older African Americans. The sample of 756 MARS participants completed cognitive global functioning tests as well as ACE ( The First 18 Years Survey) and active coping ( John Henryism Active Coping Scale) questionnaires. We used correlational analysis (t-tests, ANOVA, linear regression) to examine the associations between ACEs and cognition and active coping and cognition. Additionally, we explored whether active coping moderated the impact of ACEs on cognition. Results Study participants were highly educated with low total ACE scores, average cognitive functioning, and high active coping. The financial need subscore was significantly associated with lower cognitive global functioning although the total ACE score was not. Active coping was also associated with poorer cognition. We could not discern whether active coping is a significant moderator of ACEs because total ACEs and cognition were not associated in this sample. Conclusions Financial need and active coping correlated with lower cognitive functioning. Future research with a more representative sample of African Americans, the full complement of conventional and expanded ACEs, and inclusion of positive childhood experiences are key for exploring the complex and nuanced relationships among ACEs, active coping, and cognition to best serve older Black people.