Psychometric properties and network analysis of the brief Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form (ACE-ASF) in homosexual and heterosexual

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse describes the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse undergone in childhood, which is associated with negative effects on mental, emotional, and relational health later in adulthood. To assess the psychometric properties of the ACE-ASF (Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form) in homosexual, and heterosexual in Ecuador, with a special focus on reliability, validity, measurement invariance, and network analysis of self-perceived abuse (fear, trapped and abused). Instrumental study with 520 participants ( n Homosexual = 260 and n Heterosexual = 260). The ACE-ASF was implemented along with confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, validity, and network analysis. The ACE-ASF offered excellent internal consistency ( α = 0.845—0.883; ω = 0.856—0.876), convergent validity (AVE = 0.606—0.661), and discriminant validity ( HTMT = 0.437). The two-factor model had ideal fit ( CFI = 0.999; RMSEA = 0.000). Measurement invariance was verified across groups ( ΔCFI ≤ 0.001). Network analysis showed differences by sexual orientation and abuse perception, highlighting the centrality of item A 3 ( betweenness = 1.67) and denser networks in lesbian ( sparsity = 0.07) versus more fragmented networks in gay ( sparsity = 0.67). The ACE-ASF is a validated, reliable, invariant measure for sexual orientation and self-perceptions of abuse. Its use may help in the design targeted prevention and intervention methods to deal with the long-term consequences of childhood abuse for all relationship contexts.