Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) prompt parentification, which is related to providing regular caregiving as adults. This study examines the association between the number and types of ACEs and caregiving as adults, and to whom caregiving is extended. Analyses were based on 90,666 adults from 13 states in the U.S. in 2020-2024 and involved binomial and multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for selected covariates. Approximately 21% of participants provided regular care and 66% had ≥1 ACEs. Each of 11 ACEs considered was positively associated with providing regular care. As the number of types of ACEs increased, the odds of providing regular care increased. The strongest ACE predictor of providing regular care was living with a parent or adult who was depressed, mentally ill, or suicidal, and the weakest was when the parents were divorced, separated, or an unmarried couple. Among those receiving regular care, if the caregiver had more ACEs versus less, they were significantly less likely to care for a parent or grandparent but more likely to care for a spouse, child, sibling, or friend or non-relative.
Author: Ray M. Merrill
Institution: Brigham Young University
Language: English
Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,016
OpenAlex ID: W7128442318