Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence

Sondre Aasen Nilsen 1
, 
Rebecca Lynn Radlick 2
, 
Kristin Gärtner Askeland 1
1
 
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway | 
2
 
NORCE-Norwegian Research Centre, Health & Social Sciences, Bergen, Norway | 
Publication type: Journal Article
Publication date: 2025-02-07
Springer Nature
scimago Q1
wos Q1
SJR: 1.887
CiteScore: 8.6
Impact factor: 3.5
ISSN: 09337954, 14339285
Abstract
Purpose

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a possible pathway through which poor family finances influences adolescents’ behavioral and mental health problems. However, the interrelationship between family finances, ACEs, and behavioral and mental health outcomes in adolescence has received little attention. We aimed to (1) document exposure to family-based ACEs by perceived family finances (PFF), (2) examine how PFF relates to cumulative and pattern-based approaches to ACEs, and (3) assess the direct and interactive associations between PFF and ACEs in relation with behavioral and mental health problems.

Methods

Data stem from the 2017–2019 nationwide Ungdata surveys of adolescents aged 13–15 (n = 12,560). Family-based ACEs were measured by 6 items covering parental alcohol use and intoxication, and intra-familial violence and fighting. The family-based ACEs were used both as a cumulative index score and examined through latent class analysis (LCA) to identify patterns of exposures. Cluster robust linear regression analyses were used to examine additive and interactive associations between PFF, family-based ACEs, and behavioral and depressive symptoms.

Results

Poor (compared to not poor) PFF was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms and behavioral problems. Cumulative and pattern based approaches to family-based ACEs partially and similarly attenuated the association between PFF and mental health outcomes. Mainly, however, PFF and family-based ACEs were independently associated with mental health outcomes and did not interact.

Conclusions

Poor family finances and family-based ACEs co-occur, and both have strong associations with depressive symptoms and behavioral problems in adolescence.

Found 
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Nilsen S. A. et al. Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence // Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2025.
GOST all authors (up to 50) Copy
Nilsen S. A., Radlick R. L., Askeland K. G. Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence // Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2025.
RIS |
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RIS Copy
TY - JOUR
DO - 10.1007/s00127-025-02824-4
UR - https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00127-025-02824-4
TI - Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence
T2 - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
AU - Nilsen, Sondre Aasen
AU - Radlick, Rebecca Lynn
AU - Askeland, Kristin Gärtner
PY - 2025
DA - 2025/02/07
PB - Springer Nature
SN - 0933-7954
SN - 1433-9285
ER -
BibTex
Cite this
BibTex (up to 50 authors) Copy
@article{2025_Nilsen,
author = {Sondre Aasen Nilsen and Rebecca Lynn Radlick and Kristin Gärtner Askeland},
title = {Poor family finances, family-based adverse childhood experiences, and depressive and behavioral symptoms in adolescence},
journal = {Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology},
year = {2025},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
month = {feb},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00127-025-02824-4},
doi = {10.1007/s00127-025-02824-4}
}