The Consequences of Abuse, Neglect and Cyber-bullying on the Wellbeing of the Young

Using cross-sectional data files for the United States we show that difficulties experienced in childhood - so-called Adverse Child Experiences (ACE)s - are strongly and significantly associated with mental health in adulthood. Our evidence is taken from eight Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys from 2009-2023 which contain a special supplement asking respondents to recall abuse in their childhood. We find that poor mental health is on the rise in the United States, particularly among young women. This upward trend among the young is also apparent from the National Health Interview Surveys 1997-2021, the Healthy Minds surveys of 2007-2023 and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) for high school students. We find ACEs are strongly correlated with poor mental health among both the young and older people and the effect is additive. The impact of living with a household member with poor mental health is large relative to other ACEs and is particularly pronounced among younger people. Being bullied, including electronically, is also strongly negatively associated with the wellbeing of high school students. Time spent in front of a screen has been rising over time for the young and has an independent negative impact on their mental health over and above bullying, one which is more pronounced for young women.