UL study explores link between adverse childhood experiences and shorter life span

The researchers believe that individuals with adverse experiences in their childhood can suffer from lower self-acceptance and purpose in life, that these could be a pathway or a ‘mechanism’ linking these experiences to future mortality risk. File picture

A major international study led by researchers at the University of Limerick has examined the association between adverse childhood experiences and the increased risk of premature mortality.

Adverse childhood experiences such as emotional and physical abuse, household instability, socioeconomic climate and ill health can lead to people having a shorter life, but it was not clear how.

The researchers believe that individuals with these adverse experiences in their childhood can suffer from lower self-acceptance and purpose in life, that these could be a pathway or a ‘mechanism’ linking these experiences to future mortality risk.

The new study, which followed 6,128 people across 24 years in the United States, found that self-acceptance, and purpose in life, do explain part of the reason why childhood adversity is related to future longevity.

The project was led by Associate Professor of Psychology at University of Limerick Dr Páraic Ó Súilleabháin.

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Commenting on the study, he said: “We found that self-acceptance and purpose in life are very important in the link between these childhood experiences and risk of death in adulthood. 

"In other words, of all the possible factors in the link between childhood adversity and risk of future death, it appears that self-acceptance and purpose in life are two important drivers.” 

The research team used the ‘Midlife in the United States Survey’ to test whether these factors were indirect pathways that increased the association between adverse childhood experiences and mortality hazards over 24 years of follow-up.

They included 20 possible childhood adversities, and the results show that adverse childhood experiences do significantly increase mortality risk and that self-acceptance and purpose does account for a percentage of those.

The work was conducted in collaboration with others from University of Limerick, West Virginia University, Open University of the Netherlands, University of Minnesota, and Florida State University.