Purpose
This study aimed to identify ecological risk and protective factors associated with membership in latent classes characterized by heterogeneous associations between parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment (ITCM).
Methods
This secondary analysis used data from the 2017 Family with Children’s Life Experience Survey. Participants were parents who had a spouse and children younger than 18 years. Guided by Belsky’s ecological model, the covariates were categorized as parent-, family/household-, and community-level contextual factors. Latent class regression was used to identify classes with differing associations between parental ACEs and child maltreatment, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with class membership.
Results
Three classes were identified: the “None-ACE-Association” class (58.5%), the “Partial-ACE-Association” class (23.3%), and the “Comprehensive-ACE-Association” class (18.2%). Factors across multiple ecological domains differentiated class membership. Acceptance of corporal punishment significantly distinguished the None-ACE-Association class from the Partial-ACE-Association class. In comparisons involving the Comprehensive-ACE-Association class, membership was significantly associated with several parent- and family/household-level factors, including depressive symptoms, parenting stress, partner violence/control, and family relationship quality. Significant associations were also observed for the number of children, the age group of the youngest child, and residential area.
Conclusion
Distinct latent class profiles characterized by heterogeneous associations between parental ACEs and child maltreatment support the need for tailored, risk-stratified prevention strategies. Combining the assessment of parental ACEs with the assessment of modifiable factors could improve early identification and inform nursing and community-based interventions intended to interrupt the ITCM.

Purpose
Adolescent self-harm is a public health problem. Research suggests a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and self-destructive behaviors. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of ACEs on self-harm among Asian adolescents. This study explored the association between lifetime ACEs and a history of self-harm among Korean children and adolescents in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Methods
A cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review was conducted on a dataset of a national psychiatrist advisory service for school counselors who participated in the Wee Doctor Service from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to predict self-harm.
Results
Student cases (n=171) were referred to psychiatrists by school counselors for remote consultation. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds of self-harm were higher among high school students (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.94-12.76), those with two or more ACEs (aOR=3.27; 95% CI=1.43-7.47), and those with depression (aOR=3.06; 95% CI=1.32-7.10).
Conclusion
The study's findings provide compelling evidence that exposure to ACEs can increase vulnerability to self-harm among Korean students. Students with a history of ACEs and depression, as well as high school students, require increased attention during counseling. School counselors can benefit from incorporating screening assessment tools that include questions related to ACEs and depression. Establishing a systematic referral system to connect students with experts can enhance the likelihood of identifying self-harm tendencies and offering the essential support to prevent self-harm.

Citations

• The Gender Distribution and Association between Sociodemographic Factors and Hospital-Presenting Self-Injury: Analysis from the Korea National Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Survey
  Meekang Sung, S. V. Subramanian, Rockli Kim
  Archives of Suicide Research.2026; 30(1): 131.     CrossRef
• Gender Differences in Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review
  Ji Yeon Lee, Ick-Joong Chung, Yoo jung Nam
  Child Indicators Research.2026; 19(1): 35.     CrossRef
• Adverse childhood experiences, coping and self-harm among adolescents attending public psychiatry and mental health clinics in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study
  Siti Sabrina Kamarudin, Nor Asiah Muhamad, Nur Hasnah Maamor, Suria Husin, Shauo Ling Ling, Fatin Norhasny Leman, Tengku Puteri Nadiah Tengku Baharudin Shah, Nik Athirah Farhana Nik Azhan, 'Izzah ’Athirah Rosli, Norhafizah Mohd Noor, Nurul Hidayah Jamallu
  BMJ Open.2026; 16(6): e118109.     CrossRef
• Adverse childhood experiences and health-related outcomes in early adulthood: Evidence from the Korean Welfare Panel Study
  Changyong Choi, Joshua P. Mersky
  Children and Youth Services Review.2025; 170: 108158.     CrossRef
• Global burden of all cause-specific injuries among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2019: a prospective cohort study
  Cong Li, Jinghua Jiao, Guangyao Hua, Gantugs Yundendorj, Shunming Liu, Honghua Yu, Lijun Zhang, Xiaohong Yang, Lei Liu
  International Journal of Surgery.2024; 110(4): 2092.     CrossRef