The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire is clinical resource for measuring childhood trauma. The ACE scale determines risk factors that lead to social wellbeing and health later in life. According to the ACE study adverse events in childhood directly relates to an increased risk of physical and mental health.
There are 10 types of childhood trauma identified in the ACE study that fall under the categories of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. The types of childhood trauma recorded in the ACE include experiences associated with, mental illness, physical abuse, substance abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, incarceration of a family member and divorce.
The higher the ACE score the more prone one is to limitations of lack of physical activity, alcoholism, drug use, smoking, ability to work, drug use, smoking. Physical and mental symptoms were reported to include, depression, suicide attempts, severe obesity, STDs, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and lung disease.
The study found that those who had a score of 4 out 10 were 7.4 times more likely to develop a problem with alcohol and 4.7 times more likely to develop a problem with drugs and generally more susceptible to stress. A high ACE score predicted a stronger likelihood of taking prescription medication and smoking.
Not only did the ACE study find that that those with a high score were at risk of being a perpetrator of domestic violence but were likely to be a victim of violence. Additionally, a score of 4 or more predicted a stronger chance of depression, self-harm, suicide attempts and broken relationships. The physical implications associated with a high ACE score include high blood pressure, heart disease and autoimmune diseases.
The consequences of childhood adversity on society are economic, social, mental, and physical. The ACE questionnaire accurately illustrates how childhood trauma leads to an increase in workplace absenteeism and a demand for in health care, criminal justice, mental health, and emergency services.
The ACE Questionaire is a protocol of Eye Movement Desensitation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy alongside the Dissociative Experience Scale which I use to assess Childhood trauma history and the dissociation, a symptom of trauma. If you would like to book a session of EMDR please contact me here.