Adverse childhood experiences, subsequent negative life events, and their impact on health in occupational rehabilitation patients: a mixed-methods study.
Monica Eftedal, Thomas Johansen, Ruby Del Risco Kollerud
PMID 39606585WHAT IT FOUND
Half of occupational rehab patients reported childhood adversity.
Those with past abuse faced more adult victimization, financial strain, and relationship conflicts. These patients reported higher anxiety and depression scores than those without childhood trauma, but physical pain complaints did not differ between the groups.
Key findings
01Forty-nine percent of participants reported at least one adverse childhood experience, with neglect and psychological violence being the most common.
02Patients with childhood violence or abuse were significantly more likely to experience new victimization in adulthood, including bullying or violence after age 18.
03Groups with adverse childhood experiences reported higher anxiety and depression symptoms than those without, but there were no significant differences in musculoskeletal or other physical complaints.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size is small (80 participants), limiting the generalizability of the findings. The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that childhood adversity caused the adult health issues. Self-reported data on trauma is subject to recall bias. The questionnaire used was modified for ethical reasons, which may affect comparability with other studies.
Declared interests
The study was part of a larger project (STAIR) evaluating rehabilitation programs. No specific commercial conflicts of interest or funding sources are explicitly detailed in the provided text beyond the project affiliation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that childhood trauma causes physical pain in this population. The study found no significant difference in musculoskeletal complaints between those with and without adverse childhood experiences; the differences were primarily in mental health symptoms and psychosocial stressors.