Abstract
Background
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can be associated with negative health outcomes such as substance use. However, extant literature assessing this association is mixed.
Objective
The present meta-analysis was conducted to obtain a pooled effect size for the association between ACEs and substance use (i.e., smoking, problematic alcohol use, heavy alcohol use, illicit drug use, and cannabis use).
Participants and setting
The present meta-analyses included 102 studies (N = 901,864), where 42.32 % of participants were male, and the mean age was 30.91 years.
Methods
Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO in August 2021 and moderators were examined. Inclusion criteria included studies that measured ACEs prior to age 18 and substance use, and were published in English. All analyses were completed in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software, Version 3.0 (Borenstein et al., 2009).
Results
Pooled effect sizes between ACEs and smoking [OR = 1.803 (95 % CI 1.588, 2.048)], problematic alcohol use [OR = 1.812 (95 % CI 1.606, 2.044)], heavy alcohol use [OR = 1.537 (95 % CI 1.344, 1.758)], cannabis use [OR = 1.453 (95 % CI 1.184, 1.786)] and illicit drug use [OR = 1.695 (95 % CI 1.530, 1.878)] were significant. Significant moderators contribute to the understanding of the association between ACEs and substance use, and are discussed extensively.
Conclusions
ACEs confer risk for substance use and trauma-informed approaches to substance use treatment should be considered. Study limitations and implications are discussed.