What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?

The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente between 1995 and 1997, and was the one of the largest public health studies of our time. Over 17,000 participants were surveyed about their adverse childhood experiences. The results of the study have been replicated in different populations totaling 450,000 participants.

The study revealed that chronic exposure to trauma leaves measurable imprints in our bodies, altering brain development, function and structure and impacting the nervous system, the immune and endocrine systems, and gene functions.

The studies demonstrated a direct link between childhood trauma and increased risk of chronic diseases, poor mental health outcomes, learning issues, behavioral issues, and addiction.

However, post-traumatic healing and growth are possible for everyone! Trauma is stored in the body, and the wisdom of the body can be accessed to release and transform its imprint, to support growth, and to deepen resilience.

Healing from Trauma

Post-traumatic healing and growth are possible for everyone, no matter your age, background, or the severity of experiences. The study of trauma has also shown the remarkable resilience all humans are capable of.

All trauma is different, and all healing paths are unique. Here are some helpful things to remember as you move along your healing path.

Release the shame and blame

Know that what you experienced was not your fault, and that the patterns of behavior you may have adapted as a response to the trauma likely served to protect you. You can choose to build new perspectives and patterns, and you are not alone in the journey.

Connect with trusted supports

Share your story with someone you trust and create close relationships with those who will support and nurture you. This can include counselors or therapists, spiritual advisors, trusted family members, and close friends. Trauma tends to destroy healthy connection with others, and an important element of healing is to build healthy community and connection.

Tap into your creative side

Activities like art, dance, singing, painting, creative writing, crafting, sewing, pottery or any activity that nurtures your imagination can help you grow new perspectives and connect with parts of yourself you may not have fully expressed.

Play!

The ‘opposite’ wiring of trauma is actually play! Sports, games, comedy, general silliness, or anything that makes you laugh and feel lighter is actually helping you to release the trauma and rewire your nervous system.

Practice Gratitude

It’s cliche for a reason - it actually works! A regular practice of reflecting on the people, places, things, circumstances or experiences you are grateful for helps soothe the nervous system. This can be done as part of a mindfulness or meditation practice, or as simply a few minutes of quiet time that you gift yourself with regularly.

Take the ACE self-assessment

The ACE score is a measure of various types of childhood trauma, including neglect, abuse, and household dysfunction. The original ACE survey contained 10 questions; however an expanded version has been developed in response to our changing understanding of how trauma can be experienced. Here is a link to the expanded ACE Plus self-assessment. You can view the document and record your answers separately or download and print it.

The assessment asks about adverse experiences in childhood that may bring up painful or difficult memories. Please only proceed with the assessment if you are ready.

I have a high ACE score. What are the most important things I need to know now?

What happened to you was not your fault.

You had no control over your environment as a child. The adults in your household had the control, and no child ever deserves to be subjected to traumatic environments or experiences.

It can help you make sense of patterns in your life.

If your ACE score is high and you have been struggling with substance misuse, eating disorders, drug addiction, learning or behavioral challenges, or issues with intimacy and relationships, realize that there is likely a direct connection to what you experienced in childhood. Understanding where a pattern of behavior came from can be very empowering, help you understand yourself better, and help you show yourself more kindness.

It isn’t about blame.

If the adults in your life let you down, it is likely that the negative behaviors they engaged in started before them. They, like us, did what they were taught. It may be that the pattern of abuse in your family is like a well-worn path, but you now have the opportunity to create a new one.

You have the ability to change the pattern.

While you cannot change what happened to you, you can learn to empower yourself to change your response to those events, to free yourself from the negative impacts and deepen your resilience, and to stop the pattern from continuing with the next generation.

Common Questions

  • Absolutely not! The ACE score should not be used to predict disease. There are many people with high ACE scores who are thriving today, which shows us that healing is possible! The score can be a starting point that may help you identify the origin of unwanted patterns in your life, release any shame you may carry, and help you connect with resources for healing and post-traumatic growth.

  • The difference between having no support and having some support can be critical. Psychologists say that having a loving grandparent, an encouraging teacher, or a trusted confidant may lessen the long-term effects of early trauma.

  • Yes! It depends on the level of support, or protective resources, that person had. Someone who experiences a traumatic event and is then blamed or shunned for it will have a different outcome then someone who receives support and advocacy.

  • According to a study published by BMC Public Health, 58% of US adults have an ACE score of 1 or 2, and 22% have a score of 3 or higher. Females, BIPOC, sexual minorities, and young adults age 25-34 tend to have higher scores.

    As of 2016, 22% of children in the US had an ACE score of 2 or more, compared with 20% of children in Vermont.

  • You can be a source of support! Trauma is often associated with shame, and those who have experienced it may struggle to talk about it. Yet, simply talking about it with someone who is empathetic and supportive may be an important part of someone’s healing. No one should ever be pressured into talking about their adverse experiences. But if they do, you can help them a great deal by listening with patience, compassion, and encouragement. You can also lend your time or resources to support the organizations in your community who are providing education, advocacy and resources about trauma, post-traumatic growth, and resilience.