Adverse childhood experiences and mental health among incarcerated women: Self-esteem as a mediating mechanism

Jaxin Annett; Martha Tillson; Meghan Walker; J. Matthew Webster; Michele Staton

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106486

Adverse childhood experiences and mental health among incarcerated women: Self-esteem as a mediating mechanism

Jaxin Annett, Martha Tillson, Meghan Walker, J. Matthew Webster, Michele Staton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health problems are interrelated. However, less is known about this relationship in incarcerated women and how self-esteem impacts this relationship. Objective: To investigate the relationship between ACEs and mental health problems (traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) in incarcerated women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and, the possible role of self-esteem as a mediator of the relationship. Participants and setting: Incarcerated women (N = 500) were randomly selected from eight Kentucky jails, screened for OUD, and interviewed by research staff. Methods: Regression analyses and mediation models were used to examine the relationship between ACEs, mental health, and self-esteem. Results: ACEs were positively correlated with present mental health problems (traumatic stress, r = 0.407, p < .001; depression, r = 0.177, p < .001; and anxiety, r = 0.213, p < .001) and negatively correlated with current self-esteem (r = −0.241, p < .001). Linear regression analyses established that ACEs and self-esteem were significantly related to all three mental health variables of interest. Additionally, self-esteem mediated the relationship between ACEs and mental health. Conclusion: This study shows that incarcerated women's experiences with ACEs are significantly related to poor mental health. Self-esteem plays a critical role in this relationship.

Original language	English
Article number	106486
Journal	Child Abuse and Neglect
Volume	146
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106486
State	Published - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH HEAL Initiative under award number UG1DA050069 , 2020. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH, the NIH HEAL Initiative, or the participating sites. We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of our partners in the Kentucky Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH HEAL Initiative under award number UG1DA050069, 2020. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH, the NIH HEAL Initiative, or the participating sites. We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of our partners in the Kentucky Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health.

Funders	Funder number
Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health
Kentucky Department of Corrections
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	UG1DA050069

Keywords

Adverse childhood experiences
Incarceration
Mental health
Self-esteem
Women

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106486

Cite this

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title = "Adverse childhood experiences and mental health among incarcerated women: Self-esteem as a mediating mechanism",

abstract = "Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health problems are interrelated. However, less is known about this relationship in incarcerated women and how self-esteem impacts this relationship. Objective: To investigate the relationship between ACEs and mental health problems (traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) in incarcerated women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and, the possible role of self-esteem as a mediator of the relationship. Participants and setting: Incarcerated women (N = 500) were randomly selected from eight Kentucky jails, screened for OUD, and interviewed by research staff. Methods: Regression analyses and mediation models were used to examine the relationship between ACEs, mental health, and self-esteem. Results: ACEs were positively correlated with present mental health problems (traumatic stress, r = 0.407, p < .001; depression, r = 0.177, p < .001; and anxiety, r = 0.213, p < .001) and negatively correlated with current self-esteem (r = −0.241, p < .001). Linear regression analyses established that ACEs and self-esteem were significantly related to all three mental health variables of interest. Additionally, self-esteem mediated the relationship between ACEs and mental health. Conclusion: This study shows that incarcerated women's experiences with ACEs are significantly related to poor mental health. Self-esteem plays a critical role in this relationship.",

keywords = "Adverse childhood experiences, Incarceration, Mental health, Self-esteem, Women",

author = "Jaxin Annett and Martha Tillson and Meghan Walker and Webster, {J. Matthew} and Michele Staton",

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year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106486",

language = "English",

volume = "146",

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AU - Staton, Michele

PY - 2023/12

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AB - Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health problems are interrelated. However, less is known about this relationship in incarcerated women and how self-esteem impacts this relationship. Objective: To investigate the relationship between ACEs and mental health problems (traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) in incarcerated women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and, the possible role of self-esteem as a mediator of the relationship. Participants and setting: Incarcerated women (N = 500) were randomly selected from eight Kentucky jails, screened for OUD, and interviewed by research staff. Methods: Regression analyses and mediation models were used to examine the relationship between ACEs, mental health, and self-esteem. Results: ACEs were positively correlated with present mental health problems (traumatic stress, r = 0.407, p < .001; depression, r = 0.177, p < .001; and anxiety, r = 0.213, p < .001) and negatively correlated with current self-esteem (r = −0.241, p < .001). Linear regression analyses established that ACEs and self-esteem were significantly related to all three mental health variables of interest. Additionally, self-esteem mediated the relationship between ACEs and mental health. Conclusion: This study shows that incarcerated women's experiences with ACEs are significantly related to poor mental health. Self-esteem plays a critical role in this relationship.

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Adverse childhood experiences and mental health among incarcerated women: Self-esteem as a mediating mechanism

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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