Logo image
Back
Associations of adverse and positive childhood experiences with self-reported difficulty sleeping among urban caregivers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Associations of adverse and positive childhood experiences with self-reported difficulty sleeping among urban caregivers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Matthew Jannetti, Fahamida Khanam, Maggie Beverly, Erikka Gilliam, Irene Headen, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Amy Carroll-Scott and Félice Lê-Scherban
Preventive medicine reports, v 66, 103481
Jun 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103481
Featured in Collection :   Drexel's Newest Publications
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103481View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences Asset-focused approaches Life course Positive childhood experiences Sleep Survey data
Adequate sleep is essential for health and cognition, yet a third of adults in the United States report trouble sleeping. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been identified as a predictor of sleep problems in adulthood, but there is little research on countervailing childhood exposures that may improve sleep or ameliorate the effects of ACEs. We addressed this gap by examining how past positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and ACEs are associated with difficulty sleeping. We analyzed 2019–2022 cross-sectional survey data from adult caregivers (n = 435) of children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We used survey-weighted, covariate-adjusted Poisson regression to evaluate separate and joint associations of self-reported high ACEs and PCEs with difficulty sleeping. High ACEs were associated with higher adjusted prevalence of difficulty sleeping (aPR = 1.34 [1.14–1.58]). This association was attenuated after adjustment for high PCEs (aPR = 1.20 [1.02–1.43). High PCEs were associated with lower prevalence of difficulty sleeping after adjustment for ACEs and other covariates (aPR = 0.77 [0.64–0.93]). There was no evidence of interaction between high ACEs and high PCEs. Results provide evidence for a positive association of PCEs on adult sleep despite ACEs, highlighting the importance of a life course approach to understanding adult sleep. •Positive childhood experiences were related to less difficulty sleeping in adults.•Positive childhood experiences attenuated associations of adverse ones with sleep.•No interaction of positive and adverse childhood experiences in sleep associations.•Current stress levels attenuated the impact of childhood experiences on adult sleep.•Results highlight the importance of a life course approach to adult sleep.

Metrics

1 Record Views

Details

Logo image