6301 wk4assgn

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Week 4 Assignment

Potential Research Topic: What is the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and

mental health symptoms like depression, in young adults ages 18-25 years old?

Article #1: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health in Adulthood: Evidence from

North Carolina

Research Question: In what way do ACEs affect adulthood mental health in North Carolina?

The study tested two hypotheses: There is no difference in adulthood mental health of ACE-

affected and unaffected individuals; ACEs do not significantly predict adulthood mental health.

The study used data responses from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

survey between 2012 and 2014 from North Carolina (Mwachofi et al., 2020). The BRFSS survey

is an annual nationwide telephone survey of non-institutionalized adults and includes questions

pertaining to health behaviors, health status, SES variables, environmental variable, and others

that affect one’s health. Of the 19,187 participant observations, only 13,900 included ACE

related data for the study. ACEs studied were living with a mentally ill person, an alcoholic or

drug abuser, witnessing violence, having divorced or unmarried parents, and being physically,

mentally, or sexually abused (Mwachofi et al., 2020). This research question will give insight on

gaps associated between ACEs and adulthood depression in a state sample.

Methodological Approach Used: This particular study used a quantitative approach. This study

used survey data of a large population, which is used in quantitative research (Yegidis et al.,

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2018, p. 66). Furthermore, this study uses a quantitative methodological approach because the

research question(s) and hypothesis(es) are established before the data are collected and are not

altered throughout the study (Yegidis et al., 2018, p. 66). The study used statistical formulas like

t-tests and chi-square tests to analyze the data collected, which identifies that a quantitative

approach was used (Walden University, 2021).

Article #2: What are the Effects of Adult Depression on the Recollection of Adverse Childhood

Experiences

Research Question: Although there is not a clear research question, this study was based on

three hypotheses. The first hypothesis is in accordance with previous research, it was expected

that participants who reports symptoms of depression at Time 2 would also report increase

ACE’s at Time 2. The second hypothesis is it was expected that participants who reported

decreased symptoms of depression at Time 2 would report decrease ACE’s at Time 2. The last

hypothesis is it was expected that participants whose depression symptoms remained stable

across Time 1 and 2 would also report a stable ACE score. The study used data collected

between October of 2014 and July 2015 as part of a larger study of ACEs and a plethora of adult

outcomes, called the EmbrACE study (Frampton et al., 2018). A sample size of 284 adult

participants from the EmbrACE study were recruited and used as this study’s sample. The

participants were given questionnaires based on the Adverse Childhood Experiences

Questionnaire (ACE-Q), used as a validated measure of adversity experienced during childhood

and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), used to measure depressive symptoms validated

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within primary care settings (Frampton et al., 2018). This research question will further explain

the gap if one’s current depression can affect one’s memory of ACEs in a negative way.

Methodological Approach Used: Frampton et al. (2018) study is consistent with the use of the

quantitative methodological approach. The study used a large participant population and studied

the relationship between reported ACEs and depressive symptoms. A comparison is being

conducted in this study, therefore, indicating a quantitative approach (Walden University, 2021).

Furthermore, the participants were given questionnaires as part of data collection, another sign

that a quantitative approach was used in this study (Yegidis et al., 2018, p. 66).

Article #3: Unpacking the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Adult Mental Health

Research Question: What is the relationship between ACEs and four adult mental health

outcomes: drug use, alcohol use, depressed affect, and attempted suicide? Researchers used data

drawn from Wave II of the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study collected in 1997 with a sample of 7,465

adult participants of Kaiser Permanente, a large healthcare maintenance organization in southern

California (Merrick et al., 2017). The Family Health History Questionnaire was used in this

current study that was also used in the original CD-Kaiser ACE study to measure the

participant’s exposure to ACEs and current health outcomes. This research question will provide

awareness on the unique impact that each ACE has on long-term mental and behavioral

outcomes.

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Methodological Approach Used: This study uses a quantitative methodological approach

because participants were given only a questionnaire that lists responses for them to choose

from, therefore, no feedback is provided in their own words (Walden University, 2021).

Additionally, the study used a large sample size and there is a clear research question identified.

Lastly, the research question involves variables that are measure numerically, such as the four

mental health outcomes (Yegidis et al., 2018, p. 66).

Article #4: Childhood Adversity and Adult Depression: The Protective Role of Psychological

Resilience

Research Question: This current study does have a specific research question but does have two

hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that there would a positive association between cumulative

ACEs and symptoms of depression. The second hypothesis is that the association between ACEs

and depression would vary as a function of resilience, such that the association between ACEs

and symptoms of depression would be stronger among people with low resilience than among

individuals with high resilience (Poole et al., 2017). The researchers conducting this study used

data from the EmbrACE study among adult primary care patient in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

4,006 participants aged 18 years and older were used as the sample in Poole et al. (2017) study.

Multiple questionnaires were used: ACE Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. This research question fills the gap of the association

between ACEs and depression among adults and how resilience can alter one’s mental health

trajectory.

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Methodological Approach Used: The Poole et al. (2017) study used a quantitative

methodological approach based on using a large sample size of participants and multiple

questionnaires and surveys were used that gave participants selected answers to choose from

(Walden University, 2021). Furthermore, there is a clear relationship established between more

than one variable that the researchers are trying to identify if there is or is no relationship

between ACEs and depression.

Article #5: How Might Childhood Adversity Predict Adult Psychological Distress? Applying the

Identity Disruption Model to Understanding Depression and Anxiety Disorders

Research Question: The researchers in this study made two hypotheses. The first hypothesis is

that childhood adversity would predict low self-concept clarity, which would also predict higher

symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety.

The second hypothesis is a more exploratory aim to determine whether intolerance of uncertainty

also plays a role between early adversity and the fours symptoms (Hayward et al., 2020). The

study evaluated 382 participants residing in the United States and recruited through Amazon’s

Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Multiple questionnaires were used to measure early adversity, self-

concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, and the four forms of psychopathology that were

assessed in this study (Hayward, 2020). This research question displays the importance of the

association between childhood adversity and low self-concept clarity, leading to depression

outcomes.

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Methodological Approach Used: The methodological approached used in this study is

quantitative. This study used a quantitative approach because of multiple questionnaires

participants completed and had to answer, not given the chance to provide their own written

answer (Yegidis et al., 2018, p. 66). Each participant was given a scale of answers to choose

from for each questionnaire that can be collected and used for statistical analysis. Statistical

formulas were also used in this study, indicating that the researchers used a quantitative approach

as well (Walden University, 2021).

Article #6: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adult Trauma, and Depressive Symptom

Trajectories

Research Question: This study tested three hypotheses. The first hypothesis states people

experiencing adverse childhood events will experience higher levels of depressive symptoms as

adults. The second is people experiencing adverse childhood events will be more likely to report

fear and distress when a hurricane hits than people not experiencing these childhood events. The

third hypothesis states that ACEs will modify the association between trauma and trajectories of

depressive symptoms (Wilson-Genderson et al., 2021). The study used 5,688 people who were

part of the ORANJ BOWL (Ongoing Research on Aging in New Jersey: Bettering Opportunities

for Wellness in Life) panel between 2006 and 2008. Participants completed interviews based on

ACEs, adult trauma, and depressive symptoms using surveys and questionnaires (Wilson-

Genderson et al., 2021). This research question offers insight into the association between ACEs

and reported natural disaster, Huricane Sandy, and depressive symptoms over the life course.

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Methodological Approach Used: Because of the large sample size and researchers already had

hypotheses created before conducting research, this would indicate that the study uses a

quantitative methodological approach (Yegidis et al., 2018, p. 66). Furthermore, the study used

closed questions or statements and statistical formulas to analyze the data collected to come to

their findings (Walden University, 2021).

Reference List:

Frampton, N. M., Poole, J. C., Dobson, K. S., & Pusch, D. (2018). The effects of adult

depression on the recollection of adverse childhood experiences. Child Abuse & Neglect,

86, 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.09.006

Hayward, L. E., Vartanian, L. R., Kwok, C., & Newby, J. M. (2020). How might childhood

adversity predict adult psychological distress? Applying the Identity Disruption Model to

understanding depression and anxiety disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders, 265,

112–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.036

Merrick, M. T., Ports, K. A., Ford, D. C., Afifi, T. O., Gershoff, E. T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A.

(2017). Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health.

Child Abuse & Neglect, 69, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.016

Mwachofi, A., Imai, S., & Bell, R. A. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences and mental health

in adulthood: Evidence from North Carolina. Journal of Affective Disorders, 267, 251–

257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.021

Poole, J. C., Dobson, K. S., & Pusch, D. (2017). Childhood adversity and adult depression: The

protective role of psychological resilience. Child Abuse & Neglect, 64, 89–100.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.12.012

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Walden University, LLC. (2021). Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches

[Interactive media]. https://class.waldenu.edu

Wilson-Genderson, M., Heid, A. R., Cartwright, F., & Pruchno, R. (2021). Adverse childhood

experiences, adult trauma, and depressive symptom trajectories. Aging & Mental Health,

1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1978926

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (

8th ed.). Pearson Education.