(PS6-39) Impact of Early Adverse Childhood Experiences on Criminality

Introduction

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), defined as stressful and/or traumatic events in childhood, have been linked to many long-term consequences, including criminality (Basto-Pereira et al., 2022). Prior research has shown that children who have experienced maltreatment are twice as likely to engage in crime than those who have not (Currie & Tekin, 2012). In fact, 90% of justice involved youth have experienced at least one traumatic event in childhood (Dierkhising et al., 2013). Because of this, it is imperative to examine the factors that contribute to the link between ACEs and crime. The current study examines the role of one potential contributing factor, age of first ACE, in the relationship between ACEs and criminality.

Method

Young adult participants (n= 233, 59% female, 36% nonwhite, M_age = 25.38 years) completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire (Felitti et al., 2019), and the Crime and Violence Scale, which measured both property crime and interpersonal violence (Dennis et al., 2006). For each item that a participant endorsed on the ACE questionnaire, they also indicated the age this event first occurred. These ratings were analyzed to determine the age of the participant’s first ACE. Using this data, we conducted a linear regression to determine the moderating role of age of first ace in the relationship between ACEs and criminality.

Results

Analysis revealed that ACEs (b = .68, p < .001) and age of first ACE (b = -.08, p = .57) accounted for 11% of the variance in criminality (p < .001). However, age of first ACE did not moderate the relationship between ACEs and overall criminality (b = -.04, p = .80). Further analysis revealed that age of first ACE did not moderate the relationship between ACEs and property crimes (b = -.21, p = .08), but it did moderate the relationship between ACEs and interpersonal crimes (b = .17, p = .01). At both low and high ages of first ACE, cumulative ACEs increased interpersonal crime. Interestingly, a uniquely high level of interpersonal violent crime is generated at high levels of ACEs and a high age of first ACE.

Discussion

The age at which first ACE occurred did not moderate the relationship between ACEs and total criminality or property crime. However, age of first ACE did moderate the relationship between ACEs and interpersonal crime, such that there is an incremental effect of cumulative ACEs for those with a later onset of ACE than those with an earlier onset of ACE. It is likely that interpersonal crime rates for those at high levels of ACEs and a high age of first ace is due to the rapid accumulation of stressful and/or traumatic events, particularly of an interpersonal nature. These results have significant implications for mitigating the relationship between ACEs and criminality. They suggest that interventions for adverse childhood experiences should consider both cumulative ACEs and age of first ACE. They also suggest that treatment would be best focused on improving interpersonal relationships, rather than improving destructive tendencies. This research contributes to a comprehensive model of the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and crime.