Latent Classes of Adverse Childhood Experiences in a Nationally Representative Chilean Sample: Associations with Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Gender

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked to negative mental health outcomes, yet their co-occurrence remains understudied, particularly in Latin America and Chile. This cross-sectional study applied Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to a nationally representative Chilean sample of adults aged 18 to 65 (N = 2,101). The objective was to identify distinct ACE subgroups and examine their associations with depressive symptomatology, suicidal ideation and gender differences. Depressive symptoms were measured using the PHQ-9, and lifetime suicidal ideation was assessed via a single-item question. A four-class solution emerged: (1) low adversity, (2) medium adversity, (3) high adversity marked by abuse and violence, and (4) polytrauma. Two high-adversity classes comprised 40% of the sample and were associated with significantly elevated risks of depression (OR = 10.62; 95% CI: 6.04–18.68) and suicidal ideation (OR = 31.61; 95% CI: 10.61–94.16). Gender differences were observed, with women overrepresented in the abuse-focused class and men in the medium adversity class.