A review of primary care interventions to improve health outcomes in adult survivors of adverse childhood experiences

• This review examines interventions for adults with adverse childhood experiences
• CBT has the most evidence for management of health problems in this population
• Expressive writing and mindfulness-based therapies also show promise
• Intervention trials primarily focused on social, cognitive, and emotional outcomes
• Few trials examined neurobiological/physical health outcomes; more research is needed

Research has consistently demonstrated a link between the experience of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult health conditions, including mental and physical health problems. While a focus on the prevention or mitigation of adversity in childhood is an important direction of many programs, many individuals do not access support services until adulthood, when health problems may be fairly engrained. It is not clear which interventions have the strongest evidence base to support the many adults who present to services with a history of ACEs. The current review examines the evidence base for psychosocial interventions for adults with a history of ACEs. The review focuses on interventions that may be provided in primary care, as that is the setting where most patients will first present and are most likely to receive treatment. A systematic review of the literature was completed using PsycInfo and PubMed databases, with 99 studies identified that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. These studies evaluated a range of interventions with varying levels of supportive evidence. Overall, cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) have the most evidence for improving health problems – in particular, improving mental health and reducing health-risk behaviors – in adults with a history of ACEs. Expressive writing and mindfulness-based therapies also show promise, whereas other treatments have less supportive evidence. Limitations of the current literature base are discussed and research directions for the field are provided.