Adverse Childhood Experiences and Quality of Life: A Mediating Role of Physical Activity

Abstract

Purpose Examine whether barriers to physical activity (PA) and PA level serve as serial mediators to the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and perceived quality of physical health. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: A public university in Southeast United States. Subjects Seventy-five participants (18- 49 years). Measures: Self-report measures related to ACEs, barriers to PA, amount of PA, and perceived quality of physical health. Analysis Serial mediation analysis. Barriers to PA was a first-order mediator, and PA level was a second-order mediator between ACEs and perceived quality of physical health. Results Barriers to PA and PA levels serially mediated the relationship between ACEs and perceived quality of physical health (c = −1.01, SE = .251, P = .0002, 95% CI [−1.50, −.499]). The direct effect of ACEs on perceived quality of physical health was nonsignificant when mediators were controlled (c’ = −.383, SE = .252, P = .133, 95% CI [−.886, .120]). Higher ACE scores were associated with more barriers to PA, lower PA levels, and in turn, lower perceived quality of physical health. Conclusion The current study highlights specific pathways that contribute to the relationship between ACEs and perceived quality of physical health. Albeit limited by the sample size, preliminary data support prioritization of interventions that reduce barriers to PA when trying to increase PA in populations that are prone to early adversity.