Religious Support Moderates the Long Reach of Adverse Childhood Events on Physical Health in Middle to Late Adulthood

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences are associated with impaired physical health in adulthood. Using data from the Midlife in the United States survey (N = 4041), this study examined whether four dimensions of religiosity moderated the long-term detrimental effects of early adversity on three distinct aspects of adult physical health (self-rated health, functional limitations, and shortness of breath). Regression analyses showed that religious support buffered the effect of childhood adversity on physical health, but religious identification, private religious practice, or religious service attendance did not. Results imply that interventions aimed at increasing religious support can be effective decades after the adverse experiences took place.

Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Life-span development; Physical health; Religion; Religious support.