Your ACEs Score

Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) Questionnaire

"*" indicates required fields

1Preamble

2Physical Abuse

3Verbal Abuse

4Sexual Abuse

5Emotional Neglect

6Physical Neglect

7Absent Parent

8Domestic Violence

9Alcoholism

10Mental Illness

11Incarceration

12Your Score

What are ACEs and why are they a "thing"

The term ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) became a "thing" after the release of a report from the United States Centre for Disease Control. The study's aim was to try to quantify the effect of adverse childhood experiences on long term population-wide health outcomes. It is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and later-life health and well-being, with over 17,000 completing the confidential survey. Due to the broad nature of population-wide studies, the researchers had to assimilate hundreds of different types of things that are considered traumatic in childhood into a concise list of questions, balancing the need for measurable outcomes that were a balance of reasonable to ask

Suggesting that adversity of any kind is bad or traumatic is not what ACEs are about. While abuse and neglect should always be considered fundamentally wrong, traumatic and preventable, the same cannot always be said for adversity. Everyone will experience adversity at some point and there is often strength and hope to be found in it. Our responses to adversity can nurture resilience and loving relationships while also defining our identities

Knowing your ACE Score is not going to fix anything, but it may help you be more gentle on yourself. It may provide an explanation for why you behave or react to certain situations the way you do. It may help you understand the origin of ..... And once you understand the root cause, or causes, you can work with professionals to heal and live well with your childhood experiences

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Health Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often

Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you?
OR
Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?

Physical Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often

Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you?
OR
Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?

Verbal Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever

Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way?
OR
Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?

Sexual Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you often or very often feel that

No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special?
OR
Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?

Emotional Neglect*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you often or very often feel that

You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you?
OR
Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?

Physical Neglect*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), were your parents ever separated or divorced?

Absent Parent*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), was your mother or stepmother

Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her?
OR
Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard?
OR
Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?

Domestic Violence*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?

Alcoholism*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?

Mental Illness*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a household member go to prison?

Incarceration*

Yes

Your ACEs Score

What can be done about ACEs?

To help you come to terms with their impact on you, and help you heal from your Childhood Trauma

To help you stop the Trauma Cycle affecting your children

Not all children who experience child maltreatment become adults who abuse or neglect their own children. Intergenerational patterns of child abuse and neglect are complex and nuanced.

There is generally not a single factor that results in the abuse or neglect of a child; it is usually a combination of various factors. In addition, the duration (such as the duration of an illness) or intensity (such as the level of drug or alcohol abuse) can make it more or less likely that a child will be at risk for abuse. When trying to understand child abuse and neglect, we often look at possible factors in the adult, factors based on something in society, and factors based on something about the child.

Possible societal contributing factors

There are many deeply rooted, complicated, and interrelated societal factors that can contribute to child abuse and neglect. While we cannot list them all here, the following two factors are often identified as increasing the likelihood that child abuse and neglect will occur.

Stresses of poverty
Community violence

Possible adult contributing factors

Research tells us that there is no "typical" abuser. People who abuse children may be male or female and the majority of child abuse is committed by someone who knows the child. In over 80% of cases, a parent is the identified perpetrator. The following are characteristics of some people who abuse children.

Low self-esteem
Poor control over their emotions
A history of being abused themselves
Stress
Financial problems
Social isolation
Relationship problems with a partner (may include domestic violence)
Lack of parenting skills
Is abusing drugs or alcohol
Illness
Belief that too much praise or attention will spoil a child
Belief that fear and embarrassment are the way to make sure children obey
Doesn't understand children's needs or abilities and criticizes children who can't meet their high expectations
Belief that children should be quiet at all times
Inability to cope with life stressors
Focused on own troubles or things other than their children
Has been diagnosed or exhibits symptoms of depression

Possible child contributing factors

Some children have certain characteristics or behaviors that make it more likely that they will be at risk for abuse or neglect. However, it is important to remember that no matter what characteristics a child has or how they act a child is NEVER responsible for being abused or neglected.

Illness, especially chronic illness
Disability
Crying for extended periods
Feeding problems
Tantrums and whining
Biting
Toilet learning
Disobedience and lying
Physical appearance (for example, resembles someone who is viewed negatively by the caregiver)
Poor grades

Contributing Factors to Child Abuse and Neglect: Possible Adult Contributing Factors

Environmental Factors and the Intergenerational Transmission of Child Maltreatment

Intergenerational Abuse: It’s Time to Break the Cycle

Two-Generation Approach

These wide-ranging health and social consequences underscore the importance of preventing ACEs before the nurturing relationships and environment can have a positive impact on a broad range of health problems and on the development of skills that will help children reach their full potential. Strategies that address the need of children and their families include:

Parent support programs for teens and teen pregnancy prevention programs
Mental illness and substance abuse treatment
High-quality child care
Sufficient economic support for families with lower incomes
Home visiting to pregnant women and families with newborns
Parenting training programs
Intimate partner violence prevention
Family-friendly work

Signs of child abuse

Child abuse and neglect may show up in physical or behavioral signs, some of which are listed here. In many instances there appears to be an unusual pattern or location of physical injuries that suggests abuse. Some of the signs listed may indicate problems that do not involve abuse or neglect.

Physical signs of child abuse

Bruises, welts, or broken bones
Burns
Missing hair
Poor hygiene
Injuries or redness around the genitals
Injuries at different stages of healing
Injury or medical condition that hasn't been properly treated
Slowed physical development

Behavioral signs of child abuse

poor grades
lack of concentration
frequent tardiness or absence from school
difficulty making and keeping friends
unhappiness, depression
withdrawal from others
acts of anger, aggression
destruction of property
hurting themselves or others
low self-esteem
problems with expressing feelings
fatigue
constant attention seeking
speech problems
sleeping problems
reluctance to go home
hunger, begging for food, stealing
unusual fears
unusual knowledge of sex

Your ACE score is less than 3

Your ACE score is between 3 and 6

Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) Questionnaire

"*" indicates required fields

1Preamble

2Physical Abuse

3Verbal Abuse

4Sexual Abuse

5Emotional Neglect

6Physical Neglect

7Absent Parent

8Domestic Violence

9Alcoholism

10Mental Illness

11Incarceration

12Your Score

What are ACEs and why are they a "thing"

forward

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often

Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you?
OR
Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?

Physical Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often

Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you?
OR
Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?

Verbal Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever

Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way?
OR
Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?

Sexual Abuse*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you often or very often feel that

No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special?
OR
Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?

Emotional Neglect*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you often or very often feel that

You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you?
OR
Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?

Physical Neglect*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), were your parents ever separated or divorced?

Absent Parent*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), was your mother or stepmother

Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her?
OR
Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard?
OR
Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?

Domestic Violence*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?

Alcoholism*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?

Mental Illness*

Yes

While you were growing up (during your first 18 years of life), did a household member go to prison?

Incarceration*

Yes

Your ACEs Score

What can be done about ACEs?

To help you come to terms with their impact on you, and help you heal from your Childhood Trauma

To help you stop the Trauma Cycle affecting your children

Not all children who experience child maltreatment become adults who abuse or neglect their own children. Intergenerational patterns of child abuse and neglect are complex and nuanced.

Possible societal contributing factors

Stresses of poverty
Community violence

Possible adult contributing factors

Low self-esteem
Poor control over their emotions
A history of being abused themselves
Stress
Financial problems
Social isolation
Relationship problems with a partner (may include domestic violence)
Lack of parenting skills
Is abusing drugs or alcohol
Illness
Belief that too much praise or attention will spoil a child
Belief that fear and embarrassment are the way to make sure children obey
Doesn't understand children's needs or abilities and criticizes children who can't meet their high expectations
Belief that children should be quiet at all times
Inability to cope with life stressors
Focused on own troubles or things other than their children
Has been diagnosed or exhibits symptoms of depression

Possible child contributing factors

Illness, especially chronic illness
Disability
Crying for extended periods
Feeding problems
Tantrums and whining
Biting
Toilet learning
Disobedience and lying
Physical appearance (for example, resembles someone who is viewed negatively by the caregiver)
Poor grades

Contributing Factors to Child Abuse and Neglect: Possible Adult Contributing Factors

Environmental Factors and the Intergenerational Transmission of Child Maltreatment

Intergenerational Abuse: It’s Time to Break the Cycle

Two-Generation Approach

Parent support programs for teens and teen pregnancy prevention programs
Mental illness and substance abuse treatment
High-quality child care
Sufficient economic support for families with lower incomes
Home visiting to pregnant women and families with newborns
Parenting training programs
Intimate partner violence prevention
Family-friendly work

Signs of child abuse

Physical signs of child abuse

Bruises, welts, or broken bones
Burns
Missing hair
Poor hygiene
Injuries or redness around the genitals
Injuries at different stages of healing
Injury or medical condition that hasn't been properly treated
Slowed physical development

Behavioral signs of child abuse

poor grades
lack of concentration
frequent tardiness or absence from school
difficulty making and keeping friends
unhappiness, depression
withdrawal from others
acts of anger, aggression
destruction of property
hurting themselves or others
low self-esteem
problems with expressing feelings
fatigue
constant attention seeking
speech problems
sleeping problems
reluctance to go home
hunger, begging for food, stealing
unusual fears
unusual knowledge of sex

Your ACE score is less than 3

Your ACE score is between 3 and 6