Multiple childhood traumas linked to more interconnected adult addictions
Mar 2nd 2026
A network analysis of 802 adults published in Addictive Behaviors found that experiencing two or more adverse childhood events is associated with more severe and more tightly connected substance and behavioral addictions, especially involving tobacco, overeating, and compulsive sexual behavior.
- Study of 802 Italian adults used network analysis to compare people with zero, one, or two or more adverse childhood experiences.
- People with two or more childhood traumas reported higher severity of tobacco use, overeating, and compulsive sexual behavior.
- Addictive behaviors were more densely interconnected in the multiple-trauma group, suggesting mutual reinforcement between behaviors.
- Substance addictions clustered strongly in the multiple-trauma group with tobacco and alcohol acting as central hubs.
- Overeating showed strong links to shopping, overworking, and substance use among those with multiple childhood traumas.
- Gambling was associated with substance use in trauma groups but was linked to videogaming in the no-trauma group.
- The study is cross-sectional and used a social media recruited sample that was skewed young, Italian, and female, so causation and broad generalizability are limited.
- Authors recommend trauma informed screening and integrated prevention and treatment strategies that consider co-occurring addictive behaviors.