Table 1 Distribution between studied variables and adverse childhood experiences

Socio-demographic variables

Age (in completed years)

22.80 ± 3.16

2.00

0.005

Gender

 Female

227, 34.8%

6.32 ± 2.60

1.37

0.172

 Male

426, 65.2%

6.02 ± 2.69

Marital status

 Single

601, 92.0%

6.10 ± 2.65

0.25

0.778

 Married/cohabiting

44, 6.7%

6.30 ± 2.75

 Separated/divorced

8, 1.2%

6.63 ± 2.88

Region of residence

 Central

166, 25.4%

6.27 ± 2.52

0.67

0.571

 Eastern

114, 17.5%

6.22 ± 2.84

 Northern

41, 6.3%

6.39 ± 1.83

 Western

332, 50.8%

5.98 ± 2.75

Family environment

Type of family

 Extended family

205, 31.4%

6.35 ± 2.50

10.68

 < 0.001

 Grand parent family

15, 2.3%

7.53 ± 3.07

 Nuclear family

353, 54.1%

5.64 ± 2.64

 Single parent family

65, 10.0%

7.05 ± 2.51

 Step family

15, 2.3%

8.80 ± 2.18

Primary care provider/Sponsor for paying university tuition fees

 Parent

530, 81.2%

5.98 ± 2.55

5.09

 < 0.001

 Step parent

3, 0.5%

8.67 ± 2.31

 Uncle/aunt

33, 5.1%

6.06 ± 2.30

 Sibling

15, 2.3%

6.53 ± 2.29

 Guardian

30, 4.6%

6.83 ± 3.12

 Grandparent

15, 2.3%

9.60 ± 2.90

 NGO

19, 2.9%

6.00 ± 3.07

 Self-sponsored

8, 1.2%

4.88 ± 3.76

Number of family members

 0–6

239, 36.6%

6.05 ± 2.72

2.12

0.097

 7–8

177, 27.1%

5.99 ± 2.50

 9–10

117, 17.9%

5.92 ± 2.69

 11–25

120, 18.4%

6.67 ± 2.71

Number of children in family

 0–4

196, 30.0%

6.01 ± 2.67

0.75

0.523

 5–6

212, 32.5%

6.22 ± 2.47

 7–8

127, 19.5%

5.92 ± 2.53

 9–18

118, 18.0%

6.36 ± 3.09

Participant’s birth position

 1st

143, 21.9%

6.10 ± 2.69

0.36

0.780

 2nd

151, 23.1%

6.27 ± 2.61

 3rd

144, 22.1%

5.95 ± 2.58

 4th and more

215, 32.9%

6.14 ± 2.74

Mother’s education level

 None

110, 16.8%

6.55 ± 2.69

2.82

0.038

 Primary

146, 22.4%

6.23 ± 2.70

 Secondary

163, 25.0%

5.65 ± 2.72

 Tertiary

234, 35.8%

6.18 ± 2.55

Father’s education level

 None

89, 13.6%

7.07 ± 2.71

7.85

 < 0.001

 Primary

95, 14.6%

6.23 ± 2.62

 Secondary

154, 23.6%

5.41 ± 2.73

 Tertiary

315, 48.2%

6.17 ± 2.53

Academic performance

CGPA grading

 First class

84, 12.9%

6.02 ± 3.13

2.61

0.035

 Second class—upper

300, 45.9%

6.03 ± 2.44

 Second class—lower

162, 24.8%

6.61 ± 2.82

 Third class

14, 2.1%

4.79 ± 2.64

 Preferred not reporting

87, 14.2%

5.87 ± 2.49

Year of study

 1st

171, 26.2%

6.05 ± 2.83

3.89

0.004

 2nd

222, 34.0%

6.27 ± 2.64

 3rd

106, 16.2%

6.66 ± 2.54

 4th

94, 14.4%

5.96 ± 2.39

 5th

60, 9.2%

5.05 ± 2.57

Faculty of study

 Applied Sciences and Technology

65, 10.0%

5.94 ± 2.78

3.72

0.003

 Business and Management Studies

88, 13.5%

5.28 ± 2.73

 Computing & Informatics

69, 10.6%

6.64 ± 3.17

 Interdisciplinary Studies

9, 1.4%

4.78 ± 1.56

 Medicine

271, 41.5%

6.10 ± 2.38

 Science

151, 23.1%

6.57 ± 2.71

Mental health outcomes

Depression (cutoff 10)

 Yes

184, 28.2%

7.32 ± 2.79

7.51

 < 0.001

 No

469, 71.8%

5.65 ± 2.45

Suicidal ideations

 Yes

46, 7.0%

7.04 ± 3.14

2.45

0.015

 No

607, 93.0%

6.05 ± 2.61