Two traumatic events in a child's life doubles their chances of problematic drug use — study

The Growing Up in Ireland study looked at adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as death of a family member (other than parents), death of a close friend, conflict between parents and separation or divorce between parents.

Young adults who experienced two traumatic events as children are twice as likely to be problematic drug users compared to peers who did not have such experiences as kids, a major Irish study shows.

The research, conducted by experts in the Health Research Board, said the odds treble if the person suffered three ‘adverse’ events when a child.

The report is based on data from the Growing Up in Ireland study — a long-term research of 4,729 people, who started at age nine and were 20 at the time of the HRB research.

It looked at adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as death of a family member (other than parents), death of a close friend, conflict between parents and separation or divorce between parents.

Other events include foster/residential care, mental health disorder in the immediate family, drug taking/alcoholism in the immediate family and parent in prison.

The study, published in Addictive Behaviours, found that just over 30% of young adults had experienced two or more ACEs. It said that 24% of participants engaged in cannabis use, while 28% used other illicit drugs. Just under 15% were assessed as problematic drug users.

“Regarding individual ACEs, significant associations with substance use behaviours were noted for young adults who had experienced the death of a close friend, conflict between parents, the divorce or separation of their parents, and for those who had endured mental health disorders and drug taking/alcoholism in their immediate family,” the report said.

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It said study participants who had experienced two ACEs or 3+ ACEs had "an approximately two-fold and approximately three-fold increased odds” of problematic drug use, respectively.

It said intimacy with the father and liking school can lessen the relationship between ACE and problematic drug use.

It concluded: “Prevention programmes that aim to reduce illicit substance use among emerging adults with traumatic childhood experiences should target children who have experienced parental conflict, mental illness and SUDs [substance use disorders] in their families, and multiple ACEs, as these children are at the highest risk of future substance use and problematic drug use.” 

It said family-based prevention initiatives, such as the Strengthening Families Programme, may be useful, as there is evidence that parental training, family skills training and structured family therapy can prevent drug use in young people.