Table 2.

Life‐course theory components, definitions and representative quotes.

Life‐course theory codes and definitions	Code examples	Representative quotes
Pathways—a sequence of exposures and outcomes that affect health and can be predicted based upon socio‐economic and environmental experiences or exposures	Trauma such as loss of a loved one history of physical, sexual and emotional abuse	…My dad being abusive and being and living in a home like that. My mother was great but my dad was very abusive… Physical, mental… And he was abused by his father
Risk factors—contributing factors (i.e. family, community and social policies) that diminish health	Limited social support: lack of support and/or resources to manage day‐to‐day tasks	I do not have support from my family. Like I said earlier, there's people that need that—I don't have my mom. I don't have my dad. I don't have my cousin. Nobody
	Interpersonal conflict: relationship issues with significant other	My husband and I was separated, um, and he caused a lot of problems, like, he would try to get a hold of me however he could and terrorize me.
	Unaddressed mental illness	And so that's the root of it and I didn't know that… So, now that I'm getting the mental health care… I have not had anything in my body except for psych meds
Critical and sensitive experiences—the acknowledgement that events and exposures can impact individuals the greatest during sensitive periods	Uncertainty and fear of losing their infant to the child welfare system	CPS is gonna come drug test us… We're gonna lose our kid if we're dirty… I told him that I was scared that CPS was gonna take my son