The Long Shadow of Child Maltreatment: How Early Adversity Affects Family Life in Young Adulthood

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as child maltreatment and interparental violence, are significantly linked to an increased risk of perpetrating interpersonal violence in adulthood, often within the context of ongoing family dysfunction. This study investigates how ACEs influence family development as children transition into emerging adulthood and examines whether the relationship between ACE classes and subsequent family trajectory clusters varies according to individuals' sociodemographic attributes. Using a nationally representative sample of 16,416 Chinese participants, this study employed latent class analysis to categorize ACE exposures occurring before age 18. Sequence and cluster analyses were then conducted to delineate family trajectory clusters formed in young adulthood. Multinomial regression models were used to investigate the associations between ACE classes and subsequent family trajectory clusters. The results reveal four distinct ACE classes: minimal adversity, familial adversity, victimization experience, and comprehensive adversity, as well as five family trajectory clusters: high fertility marriage, moderate fertility marriage, low fertility marriage, childless marriage, and nonstandard trajectory. Compared to those with "minimal adversity," individuals with "familial adversity" were less likely to belong to the "low fertility marriage" family cluster, while those with "comprehensive adversity" were more likely to follow a "nonstandard trajectory." Importantly, the detrimental impacts of familial and comprehensive adversity were amplified for males, urban residents, and ethnic minorities. These findings move beyond a one-size-fits-all perspective, offering a more comprehensive understanding of how ACEs can have lasting impacts on an individual's propensity for interpersonal violence and family relationship well-being across the life course. The results provide valuable insights for interventions aimed at mitigating the intergenerational impacts of ACEs and breaking adverse childhood cycles.