Adverse childhood experiences and craving: Results from an Italian population in outpatient addiction treatment

Background. Despite the growing interest in addiction research, which demonstrates the potential predictive role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), little is known about their impact on the psychological symptoms of craving. Methods. After reviewing the relevant diagnostic criteria for addiction and comorbid mental disorders along with routinely collected clinical and service-use data, 208 outpatients were assessed on the study protocol. Following the recruitment phase, nominal and ordinal data were analyzed using nonparametric methods. Results. Most of the outpatients reported ACEs (89.1%) and experienced cravings (73.4–95.7%). A positive association between ACEs and either intention and preplanning ( r = .14, p < .05) or lack of control ( r = .15; p < .05) of the craving behavior was found. Conclusion. Craving behavior in addiction remains a subject of debate. Although correlation analyses showed significant associations between reported ACEs and measures of craving, they were relatively small.