Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur before the age of 18. They can have lasting, cumulative effects on mental and physical health and overall well-being far into adulthood. Here's a look at traumatic experiences in childood, their effects, and some coping strategies to try.

Types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Examples of ACEs include:

• Physical or emotional abuse
• Abandonment or neglect
• Loss of a family member to suicide
• Substance abuse or alcoholism in the household
• A mentally ill parent
• An incarcerated parent
• Parental divorce or separation

Early Research

In 1995, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente, became the first to explore the consequences of childhood trauma on adult well-being. They interviewed roughly 17,000 people about various traumatic childhood experiences such as abuse, violence, neglect, and abandonment. An estimated 66% of respondents said they'd experienced at least one ACE; 20% had experienced three ACEs. The researchers noted associations between ACEs and physical health issues such as heart disease and cancer even years later.

Risk Factors

ACEs don’t happen randomly. Many factors make a child more likely to experience an ACE, including:

• A low-income or low-education family
• High levels of family or economic stress
• A family who is not close and does not speak openly about feelings
• Parents who used spanking or corporal punishment
• Parents who had been abused or neglected
• A community with high rates of violence or substance abuse
• An economically disadvantaged community
• A community with few resources for youth

Incidence

About 64% of U.S. adults said they'd experienced one or more types of ACE by the time they'd reached 18—and 17.3% had experienced four or more.

Racial disparities in the data are prevalent. About 61% of Black children, 51% of Hispanic children, 23% of Asian children, and 40% of white children had experienced an ACE.

Impact

All children have difficult experiences at times, but they generally can learn from their experiences and become stronger with the proper tools. ACEs, however, are more difficult to overcome and can leave lasting scars, especially if the child lacks support.

ACEs can cause “toxic stress,” which floods the body enough to cause changes to the metabolic, immune, cardiovascular, brain, and nervous systems. Their effects are cumulative: The more ACEs a child experiences, the greater impact it can have on mental and physical health.

ACEs and toxic stress may be associated with:

• Difficulty forming close relationships with others
• Trouble keeping a job
• Difficulty with finances
• Depression
• Greater likelihood of being involved in violence
• Early, unplanned pregnancies
• Greater likelihood of incarceration
• Higher levels of unemployment
• Exposure of offspring to ACEs
• Higher risk of alcohol or substance abuse
• Greater risk of suicide attempts
• Health issues such as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and liver disease
  

Prevention

According to the CDC, preventing ACEs in children requires a multipronged group effort. Here are some of the top ACE prevention strategies:

• Policymakers can work toward reducing financial, food, and housing insecurity.
• Employers can adopt family-friendly policies and offer family leave.
• Communities and policymakers can promote antiviolence campaigns and education.
• Professionals who work with families can teach positive parenting skills and socio-emotional learning.
• Policymakers can expand childcare, preschool, and early childhood education options.
• Communities can prioritize youth services, mentorships, and substance abuse recovery programs.
  

Coping With ACEs

Remember that ACEs commonly have effects for years and even decades afterward—and there are proven strategies to try as you work through them.

• See a trauma-focused therapist or social worker, who can help with ACE-related anxiety, depression, and (PTSD).
• Speak with a healthcare provider if you're feeling physical effects that you suspect might be linked to an ACE.
• Learn meditation techniques and breathing exercises.
• Add some physical activity to your day.
• Release some of your feelings through journaling.
• Join a support group specific to your ACE (for example, abandonment, abuse, etc.). Speaking with others who have experienced similar ACEs can be invaluable to your recovery.
  

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Takeaways

Childhood traumas can live in our psyches and bodies for years. Feeling triggered at their mere mention is common. Talking, thinking, or even reading about ACEs can be painful. Remember that healing and recovery from ACEs are possible. You can live a full, healthy, balanced life with tools and strategies a healthcare professional can offer.