High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2023

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Course Code

PSY

Course Number

3213

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Widaad Zaman

Faculty/Instructor Email

widaad.zaman@ucf.edu

About the Author

Emma Martin is an undergraduate at UCF earning her B.S. in Psychology, with a focus in Neuroscience, following her CAPSTONE and Honors Undergraduate Thesis during the Summer of 2024. She is largely interested in pursuing research on PTSD, addiction, and behavioral cues for self-destructive behaviors.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are instances of childhood trauma such as caregiver negligence, domestic abuse, and other dysfunctional relationships that a child may encounter inside or outside of their family. Significant evidence suggests ACEs are a predictor of youth complications, such as attentional, learning, emotional, and behavioral deficits. Anxiety and depressive disorders are two of the most costly childhood health conditions. The more instances of ACE indicated, the “higher [the] odds of anxiety or depression,” with an increased likelihood of internalized comorbidities or engagement with self-sabotaging behaviors (Elmore et al., 2020). This study addresses potential precursors to adulthood anxiety using the ACE scale while cross-referencing current anxiety states using the Hamilton-Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). Our study found that all cases of ACEs produced general anxiety symptomology (irritability and worrisome anticipation), anhedonic qualities (depression onset), concentration/memory deficits, sleep complications, uncontrollable twitching/uptightness, and social anxiety in adulthood across 85 university students. These results coincide with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), but could also implicate the causation of other anxiety conditions, like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), or specialized phobia.

Keywords

ACE, adulthood anxiety, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, SAD, GAD, anxiety disorders, Adverse childhood outcomes

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as a Predictor of Adulthood Anxiety States


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