Assessing the psychometric properties of retrospective reports on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Spanish young adults

Research in the field of early adversity and child maltreatment has been mostly carried out in Anglo-Saxon countries, whereas other socioeconomic and cultural contexts have been traditionally neglected. Therefore, we aimed to analyse the validity and reliability of the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire in a Spanish sample of young adults. A total of 648 participants within the age range of 18–30 years (Mage = 21.37; SD = 3.11; 77.9% women) responded to the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire; the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; and the Social Desirability Scale. To examine test–retest reliability, the two first questionnaires were administered at two different time-points with a 6-month interval. Our findings suggest that, for the Spanish population, the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire displays good convergent and discriminant validity, and excellent 6-month test–retest reliability. Our findings support the validity and reliability of the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire in a Spanish sample, reinforcing its applicability beyond Anglo-Saxon contexts. This work may contribute to adequately assessing childhood adversities in Spain, helping to improve early prevention programmes and the implementation of routine ACEs screening in health contexts. Future research should continue exploring potential cultural nuances in the impact and reporting of adverse childhood experiences to further refine assessment tools and improve their applicability across diverse populations.