Impact of family communication and adverse childhood experiences on mental health of Minia University students, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt Family medicine Center, Minia Health Administration, Minia, Egypt.

2 Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt Family medicine Center, Minia Health Administration, Minia, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Mental health is a “state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, copes with the normal stresses of life. Family communication have been found to have a significant impact on a young person's mental health. Individuals’ childhood experiences are of paramount importance in determining their future outcomes. Research exposing the harmful effects that childhood adversity has on adult mental health has advanced significantly over the past few decades. Aim of the study: To find the prevalence of mental health disorders among Minia university students, to detect some of determinants of mental health disorders among Minia university students, to determine the impact of family communication and adverse childhood experiences on mental health of Minia university students. Research methodology: This is a cross-sectional study included 446 students, 228 (51.1%) from Faculty of law and 218 (48.9%) from faculty of science in Minia University during the period between December 2020 and February 2021. Results: About 82.1% of students exposed to abuse, 72.2% exposed to neglect, 51.1% of students had family dysfunction, 60.3%were exposed to community violence, and 1.6% of them exposed to collective violence and 59% were exposed to peer violence. 75.3% of students exposed to ≥4 adverse events in their childhood, 19.3% exposed to 3 events and 5.4% exposed to 2 events, there is a significant relation between ACEs exposures and all determinants of mental health. About 31.2% of students reported non communication, 95 students (21.3%) and 212 students (47.5%) reported probable communication and good communication, students with high ability to enjoy life, balance, self-actualization and flexibility had higher family communication scores than students with diminished mental determinants. Conclusion: There is a significant impact of ACEs on mental health, good mental health is associated to good family communication. Recommendation: A multi-disciplinary actions should be taken through mass media and religious scholars in discussing parents about the impact of good family communication on mental health of their children. And there is a need to raise the orientation about hazards of exposure to ACEs on mental health of individuals.

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