ACEs Breakdown: Three Major Catagories

The original ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) study was conducted by Kaiser-Permanente from 1995-1997. The results of this study have shaped the view of trauma, health outcomes, and resiliency for close to three decades. The impact and findings have impacted the fields of mental health, addictions, education, and physical health in significant ways. It is a questionnaire made up of 10 questions with a yes/ no response to each one for experiences between the ages of 0-18. The number of yes's calculates as the overall ACE score. The importance of understanding these responses helps to understand the risk level for toxic stress and the event, experience, and effect of the individual. They are uniquely subjective as two people may have the same event and have different experiences and effects. Its this subjective perspective that is important to remember to uphold the four R's of trauma. As parents, we may minimize or dismiss the experience of the impact and this does not mean that it was impactful to the child involved. It is worth acknowledging that it may not be the intent to cause harm or trauma, yet it can still occur.

The 10 questions can be conceptualized as three categories and the full breakdown of the original study can be found here.

The three main categories identified are neglect, abuse, and household challenges. In breaking down the categories, the following results are indicated:

Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual) -- 59.6%

Neglect (emotional, physical) -- 24.7%

Household challenges (mother treated violently, substance abuse in the home, mental health in the home, household member incarcerated, parental separation/ divorce) -- 87%

Within the household challenges, substance abuse in the home comes in at 26.9%. This is only second behind the physical abuse at 28.3%. There may exist a correlation between these two data sets and it would be worth further research. It could also be a research point of which occurs subsequent to the other or if they are co-occuring.

There are many challenges growing up in a home where adversity is present. This may be your current family dynamic or it may be the dynamic you grew up in. What matters is the identification and acknowledgement as it can be the gateway to healing.