Childhood maltreatment linked to e-cigarette use during young adulthood

Young adults who experienced maltreatment during childhood are more prone to use e-cigarettes, according to a study published in The American Journal on Addictions.

In the study of 208 US individuals aged 18-21 years, childhood maltreatment was also related to negative urgency, or the tendency to act rashly when distressed, which was in turn associated with greater use of e-cigarettes. The study’s authors noted that the impulsive nature of negative urgency may link childhood maltreatment to e-cigarette use as children get older.

“Many young adults who have experienced abuse or neglect in their childhood struggle with substance abuse. Our study looked at e-cigarette use specifically and found that an individual’s childhood maltreatment experiences might play a role in their use of e-cigarettes during their transition to adulthood,” said lead author Dr. Sunny H. Shin, of the Virginia Commonwealth University.

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