Adverse childhood experiences raise risk of mental illness later

2 in 3 adult residents in S'pore have faced at least one such experience: Study

Children who have to deal with adverse experiences may have poor coping skills to deal with the multiple stresses and may take to undesirable behaviours that increase their risk of developing a mental or physical illness, says Institute of Mental Hea
Children who have to deal with adverse experiences may have poor coping skills to deal with the multiple stresses and may take to undesirable behaviours that increase their risk of developing a mental or physical illness, says Institute of Mental Health director of research division Mythily Subramaniam. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Theresa Tan
Senior Social Affairs Correspondent
Updated
Published
June 25, 2020 at 5:00 AM
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Adverse childhood experiences, such as being abused or the death of a parent or parental divorce, significantly increase the risk of one developing a mental illness later in life, a landmark study here has found.

And such adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common here.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 25, 2020, with the headline Adverse childhood experiences raise risk of mental illness later. Subscribe

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