Adverse childhood experiences and defensive gun use: The indirect role of threat sensitivity and depressive symptoms

Background/purpose: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to various detrimental life outcomes, including an increase in threat sensitivity and depressive symptoms. Studies have also found an association between ACEs and firearm ownership. To date, no study has assessed whether ACEs have direct or indirect effects on defensive gun use (DGU) through these risk factors.

Methods/approach: This study used structural equation modeling to estimate the role of threat sensitivity and depressive symptoms in the direct and indirect relationships between ACEs and DGU in a subsample of adults with firearm access (n = 3130) drawn from a recent, nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.

Results: ACEs had significant (p < .05) and positive associations with threat sensitivity (β = 0.246), depressive symptoms (β = 0.291), and DGU (β = 0.093). ACEs also exhibited a significant indirect relationship with DGU through threat sensitivity (β = 0.012) but not depressive symptoms. The indirect relationship between ACEs and DGU through threat sensitivity accounted for 11% of the total effect of ACEs on DGU.

Conclusions/implications: The findings suggest that ACEs are associated with increased DGU through threat sensitivity. Policy targeting the prevention of ACEs may help reduce DGU, indirectly reducing injury and gun violence. Future research on the impact of ACEs on DGU should identify other externalizing mechanisms that potentially account for this association.