Adverse Childhood Events as Risk Factors for Negative Mental Health Outcomes.

The article presents a review of research on the association between adverse childhood events, such as emotional, physical and sexual abuse, neglect and childhood household dysfunction, and affective and anxiety disorders, personality disorders and substance abuse. The results of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study are analyzed. The author also seeks to highlight the ways in which risk factors for psychiatric conditions are often nonspecific for negative mental health outcomes.