Cumulative Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences and its Impact on Impulsivity among Mexican Adults

Objective: The effect of childhood adversity on impulsivity remains unclear in the Mexican population. We examined the association between cumulative number of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and impulsivity in this population. Methods: The sample consisted of 2100 adults. ACEs were measured using the 10-item ACE questionnaire. The Plutchik Impulsivity Scale was used as screening tool for impulsivity. A cumulative score of ACEs was also computed. All data were analyzed in SPSS v. 23. Results: The prevalence of ACEs >= 1 was 65.8 %. The mean scores reported on the impulsivity scale were 17.96 +/- 6.21 in participants who experienced ACEs and 14.75 +/- 5.74 in participants who had not experienced any ACEs. The odds of impulsivity in adulthood increased 1.89 times (p < 0.001) among those with 1-2 ACEs, 3.91 times (p <0.001) among those with 3-4 ACEs, and 7.63 times (p < 0.001) among those with five or more ACEs when compared with those who had not experienced any ACEs. Conclusions: The findings of the present study have shown that an accumulation of ACEs significantly increased the risk for impulsivity in the adulthood.