A latent class analysis of adverse childhood life events in Ugandan adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to characterise adverse childhood events (ACEs) experiences of school-going Ugandan adolescents (female = 50.6%, with diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD = 38.2%; mean age = 15.9 years, SD = 1.2 years). The children completed the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Latent class analysis yielded three groups of “low risk” (individuals with low probabilities of experiencing most of the adverse life events), “intermediate risk” (individuals with higher probability of being exposed to adverse life events compared to the low-risk group), and “high risk” (individuals with extremely high probabilities of having experienced all the adverse life events). Compared with the low-risk class, the high-risk class was found to be significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of PTSD. Being a female may be an antecedent risk factor for high exposure to ACE in the Ugandan setting. These findings indicate the feasibility of grouping Uganda children with ACEs for targeted treatment interventions.