Psych 133D (Early life adversity)

Psychology 133D: Social and Personality Development

• Instructor: Bonnie Goff, Ph.D.

• Week: 8, Class 1

Page 3: Early-Life Adversity

• Focus: Social and Personality Development

Page 4: Definitions

Adversity

• A violation of the expectable environment including:

  • Malnutrition

  • Chronic illness

  • Maltreatment

  • Violence

  • Physical or emotional abuse

  • Neglect

  • Economic hardship

Trauma

• Emotional response to adversity

Prevalence of Adversity

• Data from Harvard Center on the Developing Child (2011) shows high incidence of early-life adversity.

Page 5: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

• From 17,337 participants: 21.5% reported at least one ACE.

• Expanded ACE Study with 1,784 participants: 83.2% reported at least one ACE.

• Classification of ACEs into categories:

  • 0 ACES

  • 1-3 ACES

  • 4+ ACES

• Reference: Merritt et al. (2013) on Philadelphia Urban ACE Survey.

Page 6: Stress Associated with ACEs

• Definition of Stress: Physiological changes in response to perceived threats to harm, loss, or misfortune (Felitti et al., 1998).

Page 7: Pair of ACEs

Maternal Issues

• Categories of ACEs affecting immigrants:

  • Depression

  • Emotional & Sexual Abuse

  • Physical & Emotional Neglect

  • Substance Abuse

  • Domestic Violence

  • Divorce

  • Mental Illness

  • Incarceration

  • Homelessness

Adverse Community Environments

• Poverty, Violence, Discrimination, Community Disruption, Economic Mobility, Poor Housing Quality.

Page 8: Expanded Stress Definitions

• Highlight of chronic stress in relation to ACEs and their impact.

Page 9 & 10: Acute Stress Physiology

Physiological Responses to Stress

• Acute Stress Responses:

  • Pupil: Dilate

  • Heart: Increases heartbeat

  • Airways: Dilate bronchial tubes

  • Sweat Gland: Stimulates secretion

  • Liver: Increases conversion of glycogen to glucose

  • Digestive System: Decreased activity

  • Adrenal Glands: Stimulates adrenaline production

Extended physiological processes in response to enduring stressors.

Page 11: HPA-Axis Dysregulation

• Chronic or "toxic" stress affects the HPA axis leading to various health risks and emotional disturbances.

Page 12: Chronic Stress Explained

• Definitions: Adversity, Stress, and Trauma related to early life impacts.

Page 13: Chronic Stress and Brain Development

Impact on Brain Structures

• Amygdala: Overactivity increases emotional responses and fear.

• Prefrontal Cortex: Impaired development affects emotional regulation and judgment.

• Hippocampus: Structural alterations lead to memory issues.

Associated Consequences

• Hypervigilance and altered emotion regulation skills.

Page 14: Brain Development Characteristics

• Importance of sensitive periods for brain adaptability and response to experiences.

Page 15: Attachment Issues

• Adults with childhood maltreatment show insecure attachment styles.

• Increased trauma-related symptoms in trauma survivors with insecure attachments.

  • Older adults with such backgrounds report a higher incidence of previous traumas.

Page 16: Self-Concept Impact

• Negative self-perception shaped by others' attitudes leading to low self-esteem, doubts, and distortions in self-image.

Page 17: Interpersonal Relationship Challenges

• Difficulty in forming secure attachments affects intimate relationships.

• Common issues:

  • Trust problems

  • Fear of abandonment

  • Patterns of repetition from childhood experiences

  • Boundary establishment difficulties.

Page 18: Coping Strategies from ACEs

• Negative Coping Mechanisms:

  • Avoidance and Denial

  • Substance Abuse

  • Self-Harm

  • Isolation

  • Escapism

  • Aggression or Violence

  • Perfectionism

  • Compulsive Behaviors

  • Ruminative Thinking (Sheffler, 2019).

Page 19: Mental Health Disorders

Common Disorders

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

• Depression

• Anxiety Disorders

• Substance Use Disorders

Personality Disorders

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

• Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

Page 20: Negative Health Outcomes

• Increased risk for negative health outcomes as ACEs accumulate:

  • Behavioral issues: lack of activity, smoking, substance abuse.

  • Physical & Mental Health conditions: obesity, diabetes, depression, heart diseases.

Page 21: The ACE Pyramid

• Components of ACE impacts:

  • Early death, health burdens, stress-related behaviors, neurological disruptions.

Page 22: Protective Factors Against ACEs

• Buffers for Adversity:

  • Strong social support, positive role models, stability in environment, educational & mental health resource access.

Page 23: Questions?

• Open floor for questions.