The intersection between race/ethnicity and adverse childhood experiences and its association with depression
Recommended Citation
Rangavajhula KV, Muraleedharan A, Adaralegbe N, Clark F, Nagar A, Osazuwa-Peters N, Babatunde OA, and Adjei Boakye E. The intersection between race/ethnicity and adverse childhood experiences and its association with depression. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2025;61(4):615-623.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2026
Publication Title
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
Keywords
Humans, Male, Female, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adult, Middle Aged, Depression, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Ethnicity, United States, Adolescent, Young Adult, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Racial Groups, Self Report, Aged, White People, Risk Factors, White
Abstract
PURPOSE: We assessed the association between number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression among adults and explored the association by race/ethnicity.
METHODS: We used data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) among 127,577 adult respondents (≥ 18 years old). The exposure was the number of ACEs classified as zero, one, two-three, and ≥ four. The outcome was a self-reported history of depression diagnosis (yes/no). Weighted multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between ACEs and depression stratified by race/ethnicity. Each model was adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, income, education, marital status, and body mass index.
RESULTS: In this sample, 36%, 23%, 21%, and 20% reported having experienced zero, one, two-three, and ≥ four ACEs, respectively. Depression was reported by 19% of survey respondents. There was a significant interaction between the number of ACEs and race/ethnicity, and depression (p = 0.0003), thus, analyses were stratified by race/ethnicity. Respondents who experienced ≥ 4 ACEs had higher odds of reporting depression: non-Hispanic Whites (aOR = 4.07; 95% CI: 3.55, 4.65), non-Hispanic Blacks (aOR = 3.96, 95% CI: 2.68, 5.86), or Hispanics (aOR = 7.73; 95% CI: 4.48, 13.35). Respondents with 2-3 ACEs had higher odds of reporting depression: non-Hispanic Whites (aOR: 2.41, 95% CI. 2.11- 2.76), non-Hispanic Blacks (aOR: 1.94, 95% CI. 1.19- 3.17), and Hispanics (aOR: 2.86, 95% CI. 1.64- 4.98).
CONCLUSION: We found that individuals with two or more ACEs were more likely to report a depression diagnosis, irrespective of race/ethnicity. This finding highlights the need to monitor individuals with an increasing number of ACEs for depression.
Medical Subject Headings
Humans; Male; Female; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Adult; Middle Aged; Depression; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Ethnicity; United States; Adolescent; Young Adult; Hispanic or Latino; Black or African American; Racial Groups; Self Report; Aged; White People; Risk Factors; White
PubMed ID
41174072
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
Volume
61
Issue
4
First Page
615
Last Page
623
