Does Childhood Adversity Lead to Drug Addiction in Adulthood? A Study of Serial Mediators Based on Resilience and Depression

Drug addiction is a common problem worldwide. Research has shown adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to be an important factor related to drug addiction. However, there are few studies on how ACEs lead to drug addiction and the role of resilience and depression in this process. Thus, the main purposes of the study were to determine the proportion of those with adverse childhood experiences who take drugs in adulthood and how resilience and depression affect this relationship. The results showed that (1) greater severity of ACEs made individuals more likely to take drugs; (2) ACEs were positively correlated with depression, and resilience was negatively correlated with ACEs and depression; and (3) ACEs not only affected drug addiction through resilience or depression alone but also through the combined action of resilience and depression, indicating that depression led to drug addiction while resilience weakened the effect of ACEs on depression and drug addiction. Furthermore, in the serial mediation model, abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction were significant predictors of drug addiction. Our results are encouraging in that they provide guidance in understanding the complex relationships among ACEs, resilience, depression, and drug addiction.