Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Dec;60(6):4186-4208.
doi: 10.1007/s10943-021-01259-w. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Religious Support Moderates the Long Reach of Adverse Childhood Events on Physical Health in Middle to Late Adulthood

Kristin J Homan  1 , Jennifer C Hollenberger  2
Affiliations

Religious Support Moderates the Long Reach of Adverse Childhood Events on Physical Health in Middle to Late Adulthood

Kristin J Homan et al. J Relig Health. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences are associated with impaired physical health in adulthood. Using data from the Midlife in the United States survey (N = 4041), this study examined whether four dimensions of religiosity moderated the long-term detrimental effects of early adversity on three distinct aspects of adult physical health (self-rated health, functional limitations, and shortness of breath). Regression analyses showed that religious support buffered the effect of childhood adversity on physical health, but religious identification, private religious practice, or religious service attendance did not. Results imply that interventions aimed at increasing religious support can be effective decades after the adverse experiences took place.

Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Life-span development; Physical health; Religion; Religious support.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Baltes, P. B. (1987). Theoretical propositions of life-span developmental psychology: on the dynamics between growth and decline. Developmental Psychology, 23, 611–626. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.23.5.611 - DOI
    1. Bellis, M. A., Hughes, K., Leckenby, N., Hardcastle, K. A., Perkins, C., & Lowey, H. (2014). Measuring mortality and the burden of adult disease associated with adverse childhood experiences in England: a national survey. Journal of Public Health, 37, 445–454. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdu065 - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Benyamini, Y. (2011). Why does self-rated health predict mortality? An update on current knowledge and a research agenda for psychologists. Psychology and Health, 26, 1407–1413. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2011.621703 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Brim, O. G., Ryff, C. D., & Kessler, R. C. (Eds.). (2004). How healthy are we? A national study of well-being at midlife. University of Chicago Press.
    1. Browne, A., & Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: a review of the research. Psychological Bulletin, 99, 66–77. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.99.1.66 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources