Graduate students in health professions from disadvantaged backgrounds often experience childhood adversity, which may impact their education and careers. A recent study by UC Davis researchers highlights this issue, focusing on students in the medical, veterinary, and nursing schools.
The research, published in Academic Medicine, explored the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), social disadvantage, psychological distress, and resilience. The study involved 240 students who completed a survey with an expanded Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACEs-14), along with a resilience scale and well-being index.
Key findings include:
– Childhood adversity is prevalent among UC Davis health professions students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
– ACEs exposure increases the risk of mental health issues during training and beyond.
– Contrary to previous studies, ACEs exposure was not linked to lower resilience among these students.
Andrés Sciolla, professor emeritus of clinical psychiatry at UC Davis Health and lead author of the study stated: “ACEs are among the most robust predictors of mental health problems even decades later.” He added that these problems include burnout and substance abuse among health professionals.
The researchers recommend trauma-informed programs within UC Davis’s professional schools to address social inequities and support student mental health. Elizabeth Rice from the School of Nursing emphasized: “We need to keep supporting our students… they’re also showing incredible resilience.”
Karl Jandrey from the School of Veterinary Medicine noted: “The awareness of our findings is essential to help plan program improvements.”
UC Davis has initiatives such as personalized learning plans for nursing students through its Learner Performance Team since 2019. The School of Medicine offers academic coaching and wellness resources. The veterinary school provides instruction on mental health alongside access to counseling services.
Despite past research linking ACEs with negative outcomes later in life, many surveyed students demonstrated normal or high resilience levels. However, limitations exist as the study focused solely on one university.
Co-authors include Elizabeth Rice and Cara Sandholdt from the School of Nursing; Karl Jandrey from the School of Veterinary Medicine; Margaret Rea, Machelle Wilson, and Michael Wilkes from the School of Medicine.
