Study finds the more childhood adversity young adults of color with SMI reported, the greater their perceived stress and suicidal thoughts.
New York, NY – Youth and young adults of color disproportionately experience thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to suicide as well as traumatic events before age 18, known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Those diagnosed with serious mental illnesses (SMI), such as schizophrenia, clinical depression, and bipolar disorder, are particularly vulnerable as they often experience additional stressors including stigma and discrimination. A new study published in Journal of Affective Disorders led by NYU Silver PhD candidate and adjunct instructor Aaron Rodwin, suggests that addressing how young adults with SMI cope with and manage perceived stress may be one promising target to support suicide prevention efforts.
“We found that marginalized young adults with SMI who reported more ACEs experienced higher levels of perceived stress during young adulthood, which in turn, was associated with more suicidal ideation,” said Mr. Rodwin. “This study adds to the literature by deepening our understanding of how childhood adversities may influence suicidal ideation among this distinct subpopulation of young adults with SMI that has received less attention.”
The authors had expected that a general sense of hope (dispositional hope) and/or hope specific to one’s mental health condition and recovery (mental health hope) would protect or buffer against suicidal thoughts, but that was not found to be the case. “The findings suggest that perceived stress may outweigh the protective effects of hope in the context of ACEs among our sample of young adults of color with SMI who were receiving outpatient services,” Mr. Rodwin said.
Given the findings, the authors suggested trauma-informed clinical strategies that focus on helping young adults with SMI both reduce and manage their stress levels. “Stress management and reduction approaches may include strategies such as cognitive-behavioral skills, mindfulness-based stress reduction, music, exercise, sports, etc.,” said Mr. Rodwin. As an example, he cited a resource published by Nike (unrelated to the present study) in collaboration with Dr. Bruce Perry. It explains how the neurobiology of trauma and stress impacts the brain, mind, and body along with the role of sports as another strategy for stress management and regulation. “These strategies may assist with bolstering coping capacities, which may be particularly important for those who have experienced a significant number of ACEs and experience higher levels of perceived stress.”
The authors also discussed the importance of policies that target ACEs and their negative effects at their source by changing environments that can be trauma- and stress-inducing. Mr. Rodwin noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiled resources and recommendations for preventing ACEs, which includes strengthening economic support for families living in poverty (e.g., tax credits, childcare subsidies, etc). “As another example,” said Mr. Rodwin, “California passed the ACE Equity Act in 2021 that aimed to significantly expand health insurance coverage for ACE screening to help identify, treat, and support healing in the context of ACEs.”
The study of 114 young adults with SMI evolved out of a larger National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funded study (R34 MH111861) led by Professor Michelle Munson. Dr. Munson is among Mr. Rodwin’s co-authors along with PhD candidate Moiyattu Banya, Professor Emeritus James Jaccard, and Dean and Paulette Goddard Professor Michael A. Lindsey, all of NYU Silver, and Assistant Professor Rei Shimizu, PhD ’21, of the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.