Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Adult Violent Behavior: When Does Social Support Matter More?

The relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and violent behavior perpetration in early adulthood has been firmly established, promoting a research focus toward identifying potential intermediary life-course factors that may mitigate this outcome. Among these factors, support from other people—both family and peers—has emerged as a leading possible buffer. Past studies have focused on support in childhood with limited attention to adult support mechanisms and little research has explicitly examined different forms at each life course period. The current study aims to address this knowledge gap. Data were drawn from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). We analyzed a subsample of non-institutionalized U.S. adults ages 18-30 (n = 8,860). Hybrid latent-linear logistic regression models were estimated to assess the effects of five categories of ACEs and two latent social support constructs on the odds of violent behavior in adulthood. All ACE categories significantly increased the odds of violence, especially abuse and neglect, but neither childhood nor adulthood support significantly moderated this relationship. Analysis of the marginal effects of the support interactions suggest, however, that neglect and parental substance use/mental health issues on adult violence disappear at the lowest levels of childhood support, countering hypotheses and suggesting a complex relationship between support in childhood and the long-term effects of ACEs on violence. These results provide evidence against a simple peer-support model for policy and programming around ACEs where violent behavior is concerned.