Excessive digital devices use as an intermediate variable between heterogeneous adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in US adolescents: a latent class cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent a significant public health concern in the US. While research has established links between ACEs and psychopathology, the behavioral mechanisms intermediating this relationship in adolescents remain limited, particularly regarding digital de...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Vol. 34; no. 11; pp. 3549 - 3565
Autor principal: Lu, Zékai
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Nov2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=189593509&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 189593509
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        10188827
        EJ3
      jtl: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
      issn: 10188827
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Nov2025
      vid: 34
      iid: 11
      pid: 237
      pub: Springer Nature
      place: New York, New York
    artinfo:
      ui:
        189593509
        185707777
        189593509
        189593509
        10.1007/s00787-025-02777-8
        189593509
      ppf: 3549
      ppct: 16
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Excessive digital devices use as an intermediate variable between heterogeneous adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in US adolescents: a latent class cross-sectional analysis.
      aug:
        au: Lu, Zékai
        affil: https://ror.org/01pxwe438 Department of Sociology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
      sug:
        subj:
          Psychopathology In Adolescence
          Adverse Childhood Experiences Risk Factors
          Technology Addiction Complications
          Digital Technology
          Risk Assessment
          Human
          United States
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Structural Equation Modeling
          Adolescence
          Descriptive Statistics
          Logistic Regression
          Anxiety
          Depression
          Conceptual Framework
          Socioeconomic Factors
          Domestic Violence
          Substance Use Disorders
          Odds Ratio
          Correlational Studies
          Confidence Intervals
          Family Characteristics
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
      ab: Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent a significant public health concern in the US. While research has established links between ACEs and psychopathology, the behavioral mechanisms intermediating this relationship in adolescents remain limited, particularly regarding digital device usage behaviors in the technological era. Objective: I examined the intermediate role of excessive digital device use (EDDU) in the relationship between heterogeneous ACEs and psychopathology in a nationally representative sample of US adolescents. Methods: Data from the 2021–2023 National Survey of Children's Health included 50,285 adolescents (=14.47 ± 1.7, 49% girls, weighted N = 23,930,493). Latent class analysis identified ACE patterns. Logistic regression models and the Karlson-Holm-Breen method assessed associations between ACE classes, EDDU, and disorders, controlling for sociodemographic factors and accounting for complex survey design. Results: Four distinct ACE classes emerged: Low ACE Exposure (LAE), Economic and Family Hardship (EFH), Community and Discrimination Stress (CDS), and Pervasive ACEs Exposure (PAE). Compared to LAE, PAE showed the strongest association with EDDU (OR = 2.28, 95% CI [1.89,2.74]) and with depression (OR = 7.72, 95% CI [6.28,9.48]) and anxiety (OR = 5.36, 95% CI [4.43,6.47]). EDDU significantly intermediated the relationship between ACE classes and all three disorders, showing stronger effects for internalizing disorders than for ADHD. Conclusions: ACE patterns show heterogeneous associations with adolescent EDDU and psychopathology in this cross-sectional analysis. Statistical relationships between ACEs, EDDU, and mental health problems suggest potential behavioral pathways that warrant longitudinal investigation. While causal relationships cannot be established, these findings highlight digital device use as a potentially relevant factor when supporting adolescents with adverse childhood experiences.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N