Cross-sectional survey reveals childhood adversity increases substance use risk in college students, highlighting the need for trauma-informed campus care.
Key Points
To evaluate the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), loneliness, and moderate- to high-risk alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco use among university students.
Cross-sectional survey conducted in Spring 2024 among 2,393 students at a public university in Southern California.
Assessed substance-specific risk using the WHO Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST).
Conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to determine associations with ACEs and evaluate loneliness as a potential moderator.
Each additional ACE was associated with increased odds of moderate- to high-risk alcohol use (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04–1.27), cannabis use (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.07–1.25), and tobacco use (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04–1.26).
Loneliness did not significantly moderate the associations between cumulative ACE exposure and substance use risk across any substance category (all p > 0.05).