Grant: Project Grant - PA: Data Analysis Using Existing Databases and Cohorts

When people experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), they have a greater likelihood that they will also develop substance use problems, mental health problem, and physical health conditions. ACEs typically include experiences of child maltreatment (including emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse) and household challenges (including parental divorce or separation, parental substance use, parental mental health problems, parental problems with the law or incarceration, and exposure to intimate partner violence). Peer bullying or peer victimization is also an adverse experience in childhood and adolescence and is associated with a greater likelihood for having problems with substance use, mental health problems, and physical health conditions. To date, no studies have examined which protective factors help to reduce the likelihood of substance use problems, mental problems, and physical health conditions among those with an ACEs and/or peer bullying history among youth. This is important because identifying protective factors that improve health outcomes can then be used to inform the development and evaluation of interventions that could lead to better health for Canadians across the lifespan. The main aims of this work are to determine: 1) which protective factors during adolescence are related to decreasing the likelihood of substance use, mental health problems, and physical health conditions in early adulthood among those with an ACEs and/or peer bullying history; 2) what protective factors lessen the impact of ACEs and/or peer victimization on substance use, mental health problems, and physical health conditions; and 3) if the prevalence of ACEs, peer bullying, and health outcomes varies by sexual identity and gender identity. This work has the potential to build resilience in adolescents and young adults and decrease substance use, mental health problems, and physical health conditions.