Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Performance-Enhancing Substance Use among Young Adults

Citation

Ganson, Kyle T.; Murray, Stuart B.; Mitchison, Deborah; Hawkins, Misty A. W.; Layman, Harley; Tabler, Jennifer; & Nagata, Jason M. (2021). Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Performance-Enhancing Substance Use among Young Adults. Substance Use & Misuse. vol. 56 (6) pp. 854-860

Abstract

Background and Objective Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with negative health outcomes, yet their associations with performance-enhancing substance (PES) use are unclear. This study aimed to determine whether ACEs predict greater use of legal and illegal PES in young adults.Methods We analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n=14,322), Waves I (1994-1995) and III (2001-2002). ACEs included childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, two neglect indicators, and cumulative ACEs. Legal (e.g. creatine monohydrate) and illegal (e.g. non-prescription anabolic-androgenic steroids; AAS) PES use was assessed.Results Sexual abuse had the greatest effect and predicted higher odds of legal PES use (men: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-2.59; women: AOR 3.74, 95% CI 1.63-8.59) and AAS use (men: AOR 8.89, 95% CI 5.37-14.72; women: AOR 5.73, 95% CI 2.31-14.18). Among men, a history of physical abuse (AOR 3.04, 95% CI 2.05-4.52), being left alone by a parent/guardian (AOR 2.33, 95% CI 1.50-3.60), and basic needs not being met (AOR 3.47, 95% CI 2.30-5.23) predicted higher odds of AAS use. Among women, basic needs not being met (AOR 2.94, 95% CI 1.43-6.04) predicted higher odds of AAS use. Among both men and women, greater number of cumulative ACEs predicted higher odds of both legal and illegal PES use.Conclusions ACEs predict greater PES use among young adults. Clinicians should monitor for PES use among those who have experienced ACEs and provide psychoeducation on the adverse effects associated with PES use.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1899230

Keyword(s)

Adverse childhood experiences

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Substance Use & Misuse

Author(s)

Ganson, Kyle T.
Murray, Stuart B.
Mitchison, Deborah
Hawkins, Misty A. W.
Layman, Harley
Tabler, Jennifer
Nagata, Jason M.

Year Published

2021

Volume Number

56

Issue Number

6

Pages

854-860

Edition

May 12, 2021

ISSN/ISBN

1082-6084

DOI

10.1080/10826084.2021.1899230

Reference ID

9600