Being Black & Blue: Sex as a Moderator Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Emerging Adults
type: CreativeWork
description: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been linked to adult mental health consequences (e.g., depressive symptoms). Black people are disproportionately affected by ACEs, and factors related to ethnic subgroups and/or sex may produce differential depressive outcomes. The current study examined the moderating role of sex in the association between adverse childhood experiences and depression symptoms using a life course of health approach among a sample of Black emerging adults. Participants (n = 159) of the current study were Black (e.g., African – American) and Black Caribbean (e.g., Jamaican) undergraduate students (18 – 59 years old; 72.3% female) attending a large, public northeastern college in the United States, who took part of a broader study aiming to understand factors influencing mental health outcomes in adulthood. Participants self – reported their sociodemographic information, their early childhood adversity (Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire), and their depressive symptoms within the past week (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-R 10). Significant sex differences in type of ACEs were found such that females were more likely to report sexual abuse and emotional neglect compared to males. ACEs were moderately positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Significant differences were not observed between Black and Caribbean Black students’ depressive scores. No sex x total number of ACEs interaction was found. Clinical implications for college based and culturally – sensitive interventions are discussed.
abstract: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been linked to adult mental health consequences (e.g., depressive symptoms). Black people are disproportionately affected by ACEs, and factors related to ethnic subgroups and/or sex may produce differential depressive outcomes. The current study examined the moderating role of sex in the association between adverse childhood experiences and depression symptoms using a life course of health approach among a sample of Black emerging adults. Participants (n = 159) of the current study were Black (e.g., African – American) and Black Caribbean (e.g., Jamaican) undergraduate students (18 – 59 years old; 72.3% female) attending a large, public northeastern college in the United States, who took part of a broader study aiming to understand factors influencing mental health outcomes in adulthood. Participants self – reported their sociodemographic information, their early childhood adversity (Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire), and their depressive symptoms within the past week (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-R 10). Significant sex differences in type of ACEs were found such that females were more likely to report sexual abuse and emotional neglect compared to males. ACEs were moderately positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Significant differences were not observed between Black and Caribbean Black students’ depressive scores. No sex x total number of ACEs interaction was found. Clinical implications for college based and culturally – sensitive interventions are discussed.
author: Alexander, Wynta C
keywords: ACEs, adverse childhood experiences, childhood trauma, depression, Black adults, emerging adulthood, African Americans, Black Caribbean, urban college students, sex differences, Clinical Psychology, Psychology
date published: 2022-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:57:59Z
provider: City University of New York - City College
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: City University of New York - City College