Advancing the Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences: An Examination of Measurement and Latent Classes

The study of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their association with negative outcomes has heavily influenced several disciplines, including the field of victimology. However, substantial limitations surrounding the conceptualization and measurement of ACEs have restricted our understanding of these experiences and how they may influence other forms of victimization across racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of the current study was to examine the measurement of 10 ACE subscales among a sample of 993 young, non-college educated women. Then, latent class analysis was used to estimate and predict ACE profiles that were used as correlates for understanding risk of stalking and sexual harassment victimization for White, Black, and Hispanic women. Measurement invariance tests supported the psychometric equivalence of the ACEs construct across race/ethnicity. While a four-class solution was identified as being the best fit, different ACE profiles were important correlates for victimization outcomes by race/ethnicity. Estimating latent classes in particular may advance the measurement of ACEs by moving beyond an overarching measure and instead examining the combinations of profiles that can impact other forms of victimization experiences. Overall, this knowledge advances information about the experiences that increase vulnerability to two victimization types that commonly impact women of diverse backgrounds.