What did the ACE study find?
Michael King
Updated on April 24, 2026
The ACE study's results suggest that maltreatment and household dysfunction in childhood contribute to health problems decades later. These include chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes—that are the most common causes of death and disability in the United States.
People also ask, what is the ACE study and why is it important?
By bringing attention to the powerful impact that negative childhood experiences have on future health and functioning, the ACE study demonstrates the importance of gathering information early in the lives of children and their families and designing early intervention programs that target violence and neglect.
Similarly, how did the ACE study begin? The ACE Study – probably the most important public health study you never heard of – had its origins in an obesity clinic on a quiet street in San Diego. But the 50-percent dropout rate in the obesity clinic that Felitti started in 1980 was driving him crazy.
Secondly, what does the ACE score mean?
An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems.
What are the 10 aces of trauma?
There are 10 types of childhood trauma measured in the ACE Study. Five are personal — physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect.
Related Question Answers
How do you prevent ACEs?
Strategies to help reduce ACEs in families include promoting safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children and families; emphasis on early prevention; and strengthening economic supports for families, such as earned income tax credits and family-friendly work policies.How do you interpret an ACE score?
The study's researchers came up with an ACE score to explain a person's risk for chronic disease. Think of it as a cholesterol score for childhood toxic stress. You get one point for each type of trauma. The higher your ACE score, the higher your risk of health and social problems.How do ACEs affect the brain?
So ACEs can impact brain development, which in turn impacts functions such as decision-making, self-regulation, fear-processing, memory and stress management. Moreover, while ACEs can impact the development of the brain, the effect is not irreversible. Parts of the brain can grow and new pathways develop.How does ACEs affect learning?
Research has shown that children with ACEs struggle more with learning and participating at school, with language development, communication, attendance, and excelling academically. They have a higher likelihood of dropping out early or choosing not to pursue a higher education.What does an ACE score of 9 mean?
The higher a person's ACE score, the greater the risk of chronic disease and mental illness. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to most of our major chronic health, mental health, economic health and social health issues. Heidi has an ACE score of 9.How do ACEs affect health?
ACEs can include violence, abuse, and growing up in a family with mental health or substance use problems. Toxic stress from ACEs can change brain development and affect how the body responds to stress. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood.What is Type 2 trauma?
With regards to duration and frequency, the term Type I trauma is used to identify a single incident trauma whereas Type II trauma denotes a trauma that is prolonged and repeated.What are examples of ACEs?
Examples of ACEs include enduring or being exposed to abuse or neglect, familial violence, mental illness, parental separation, divorce or substance abuse.What does an ACE score of 1 mean?
The study's researchers came up with an ACE score to explain a person's risk for chronic disease. Think of it as a cholesterol score for childhood toxic stress. You get one point for each type of trauma. The higher your ACE score, the higher your risk of health and social problems.What does an ACE score of 8 mean?
The higher a person's ACE score, the greater the risk of chronic disease and mental illness. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to most of our major chronic health, mental health, economic health and social health issues. Heidi has an ACE score of 9. I have an 8.Is an ACE score of 5 high?
Five are personal -- physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect. So a person who's been physically abused, with one alcoholic parent, and a mother who was beaten up has an ACE score of three.What is the average Ace Score?
Almost half of the 87 people who participated in the study had an ACE score of four or higher — the average was 3.5, which is remarkably high.What are the three categories of ACEs?
Types of ACEs The three ACE categories include: Abuse: physical, psychological and/or sexual.What does ACE stand for in mental health?
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events occurring before age 18. ACEs include all types of abuse and neglect as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence.What is an ACE score of 3?
Each type of trauma counts as one. So a person who's been physically abused, with one alcoholic parent, and a mother who was beaten up has an ACE score of three.What are the 10 adverse childhood experiences?
- 10 ACEs, as identified by the CDC-Kaiser study: Abuse. Neglect. Household Dysfunction. Physical. Physical. Mental Illness. Incarcerated Relative. Emotional. Emotional.
- 10 ACEs, as identified by the CDC-Kaiser study: Abuse. Physical. Emotional. Sexual. Neglect. Physical. Emotional. Household Dysfunction. Mental Illness.
What is the ace pyramid?
The ACE Pyramid The pyramid represents the framework for how ACEs ultimately affect a child's life from conception until death. ACEs occur at the beginning of a child's life and set the groundwork for life-long risks and poor decisions and behaviors. Early.Who invented ACEs?
The original ACE study was a joint effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, California, and found a strong association between childhood stressors and poor adult health among more than 17,000 Kaiser Health Plan members.Who started the ACE study?
The ACE Study was triggered by observations we made in the mid 1980s in an obesity program at the KP San Diego Department of Preventive Medicine. This program then had a high dropout rate.What did the ACEs study find?
In Brief: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study assesses the effects of child abuse and related adverse childhood experiences as a public health problem and the results clearly show “Why Prevention Matters.” The Study is an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and KaiserWhy are ACE scores a public health problem?
Conclusion— Reducing ACEs Will Greatly Improve Public Health The ACE Study findings suggest that adverse childhood experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness, disability and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States.Which age group experiences the highest levels of trauma?
Extreme stress experienced between ages 5 and 8 poses a higher risk of poor adult mental health, according to a new study of U.S. brain scans conducted by Duke University.What does an ACE score of 10 mean?
The more ACEs you have, the greater the risk for chronic disease, mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence. People have an ACE score of 0 to 10.How do I know if I have repressed memories?
11 Signs You Might Be Repressing Negative Childhood Memories- You Have Strong Reactions To Certain People.
- Specific Places Or Situations Freak You Out.
- It's Difficult For You To Control Your Emotions.
- Keeping A Job Has Always Been Difficult.
- You've Always Struggled With Fears Of Abandonment.
- Friends Often Say You're "Acting Like A Child"
- You Have A Tendency To Self-Sabotage.
What are ACEs trauma?
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events occurring before age 18. ACEs include all types of abuse and neglect as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence. The more ACEs experienced, the greater the risk for these outcomes.What is a normal ACE score?
People have an ACE score of 0 to 10. Each type of trauma counts as one, no matter how many times it occurs. You can think of an ACE score as a cholesterol score for childhood trauma. For example, people with an ACE score of 4 are twice as likely to be smokers and seven times more likely to be alcoholic.How do you know if you have childhood trauma?
Did I suffer childhood trauma? Symptoms to look for- chronic depression and/or anxiety.
- mood swings and/or a tendency to overreact.
- difficulties managing stress.
- a core belief that the world is a dangerous place.
- difficulties trusting others.
- an inexplicable sense of loneliness and isolation.
What is considered childhood trauma?
The National Institute of Mental Health (USA) defines childhood trauma as: “The experience of an event by a child that is emotionally painful or distressful, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects.” This is called interpersonal trauma. Children can also experience traumatic events.How do you recover from childhood trauma?
The 10 best ways to heal from childhood trauma.- Distance yourself from toxic people.
- Learn self-regulation and stress-reduction techniques.
- Seek out support.
- Tighten up your diet.
- Allow yourself to get close to people.
- Realize you're safe now.
- Find a trauma specialist.
- Find an experienced medical specialist.
How can we prevent childhood trauma?
Prevent Psychological Trauma- The reliable presence of a positive, caring, and parents/caregivers who can help protect their children against adverse experiences.
- Children knowing that they are loved, supported, and cared for by multiple adults.
- Professional support for the child/family.
