Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Young Adult Carers Relative to Non-carer Peers and Relations with Mental Health, Caregiving and Socio-demographics

Abstract Young adult carers (YACs) report poorer mental health than their peers. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) constitute a mental health risk factor. Prior quantitative research has not investigated ACEs in YACs. Hence, this study explores ACEs in YACs and aims to: (1) compare ACEs in two groups of YACs (chronically ill parent and chronically ill non-parent family member contexts) with non-carer peers; (2) examine relations between caregiving and ACEs; (3) explore relations between socio-demographics and ACEs; (4) examine relationships between ACEs and mental health (depression, anxiety, well-being). A total of 1,823 Italians aged 18–29 completed an online survey. Of these, 1,458 reported no ill family member (non-carers) and 365 reported an ill family member (YACs); 268 with an ill parent, 97 with an ill non-parent family member. As predicted, YACs reported significantly higher ACEs than non-carers regardless of care context. Most reported ACEs in YACs: emotional neglect, emotional abuse, household mental illness, separation-divorce. Unexpectedly, caregiving was not significantly correlated with ACEs. Lower socio-economic status was correlated with higher ACEs. As hypothesised, higher ACEs predicted higher depression and anxiety and lower well-being. Results show that YACs are at greater risk of ACEs than non-carer peers, and that higher ACEs predict poorer mental health, hence supports should be developed that mitigate the harmful mental health effects of ACEs in YACs.