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. 2025 May;44(5):489-497.
doi: 10.1037/hea0001428.

Positive childhood experiences and adult cardiovascular health

LillyBelle K Deer  1 , Deborah Han  1 , Mackenzie Maher  2 , Samantha R Scott  1 , Kenia M Rivera  1 , Emily M Melnick  1 , Nathalie Dieujuste  1 , Jenalee R Doom  1
Affiliations

Positive childhood experiences and adult cardiovascular health

LillyBelle K Deer et al. Health Psychol. 2025 May.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To test whether positive childhood experiences (PCEs) assessed prospectively in adolescence predict ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood, even after controlling for experiences of childhood maltreatment. We also tested whether PCEs would moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiovascular health and whether sex moderated the association between PCEs and cardiovascular health.

Method: Data originated from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative longitudinal study in the United States (n = 2,916). Using data from the Wave 1 adolescent assessment (Mage = 15.70 years, 1994-1995), a 12-item index of cumulative self-reported PCEs (e.g., stable caregiver, adult mentor, one good friend, enjoyed school, good neighbors) was created. Childhood maltreatment experiences were self-reported at Wave 3 (Mage = 22.06 years, 2001-2002) and Wave 4 (Mage = 28.53 years, 2008). An ideal cardiovascular health score was calculated in Wave 5 (Mage = 37.47 years, 2016-2018) using the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 cardiovascular health index.

Results: Greater PCEs predicted more ideal cardiovascular health (β = .13, p < .001), and greater childhood maltreatment predicted less ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood (β = -.12, p < .001). PCEs did not moderate the association between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiovascular health. Sex moderated the association between PCEs and adult cardiovascular health (β = .09, p = .042), such that the association was stronger for female (β = .20, p < .001) than male (β = .08, p = .073).

Conclusion: The finding that PCEs prospectively predict more ideal cardiovascular health in adulthood beyond the effect of childhood maltreatment suggests that promoting PCEs should be tested as part of interventions to prevent adult cardiovascular disease. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Objetivo:: Probar si las experiencias infantiles positivas (PCE, por sus siglas en inglés) evaluadas prospectivamente en la adolescencia predicen la salud cardiovascular ideal en la edad adulta, incluso después de controlar las experiencias de maltrato infantil. También probamos si las PCE moderarían la asociación entre el maltrato infantil y la salud cardiovascular en adultos y si el sexo moderaría la asociación entre las PCE y la salud cardiovascular.

Métodos:: Los datos se originaron a partir del Estudio Longitudinal Nacional sobre la Salud de Adolescentes y Adultos (Add Health en inglés), un estudio longitudinal representativo a nivel nacional en los Estados Unidos (n=2,916). Utilizando datos de la evaluación de adolescentes de la Ola 1 (Medad = 15.70 años; 1994–1995), se creó un índice de 12 ítems de experiencias infantiles positivas autoinformadas acumuladas (p. ej., cuidador estable, mentor adulto, un buen amigo, que disfrutaba de la escuela, buenos vecinos) fue creado. Las experiencias de maltrato infantil fueron autoinformadas en el Ciclo 3 (Medad = 22.06 años; 2001–2002) y en el ciclo 4 (Medad = 28.53 años; 2008). Se calculó una puntuación de salud cardiovascular ideal en la oleada 5 (Medad=37.47 años; 2016–2018) utilizando el índice de salud cardiovascular Life’s Essential 8 de la American Heart Association.

Resultados:: Una mayor cantidad de PCE predijo una salud cardiovascular más ideal (β= 0.13, p<.001), y un mayor maltrato infantil predijo una salud cardiovascular menos ideal en la edad adulta (β= −0.12, p<.001). Las PCE no moderaron la asociación entre el maltrato infantil y la salud cardiovascular en adultos. El sexo moderó la asociación entre los PCE y la salud cardiovascular de los adultos (β= 0.09, p=.042), de modo que la asociación fue más fuerte para las mujeres (β=0.20, p<.001) que para los hombres (β=0.08, p=.073).

Conclusiones:: El hallazgo de que las PCE predicen prospectivamente una salud cardiovascular más ideal en la edad adulta más allá del efecto del maltrato infantil sugiere que la promoción de las PCE debe probarse como parte de las intervenciones para prevenir la enfermedad cardiovascular en adultos.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: We have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

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