ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE) STUDY

"If you think what happened to you as a child doesn't affect you as an adult, think again"

The ACE study’s initial surveys were completed between 1995 and 1997 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente. 17, 421 participants were followed for more than 15 years. Adult participants were asked about their childhood experiences that occurred when they were younger than 18 years of age. Results showed the strong link between childhood trauma and adult health problems, both physical and mental. The areas they asked the participants about included 5 personal areas: physical, sexual. and emotional abuse, and physical and emotional neglect. The other 5 areas related to other family members. The infographic below illustrates the 10 areas of trauma measured. Each type of trauma counted as a score of 1.

ACE's that occurred during childhood correlated highly with an increased risk for adults developing major illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and chronic lung disease. ACE's also correlated with high risk behaviors such as smoking, exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, and substance abuse. Even more dramatic correlations were found between ACE's experienced and the risk of depression and suicide. The higher the ACE score, the higher the correlation of developing physical or mental illnesses. For example, participants who experienced 4 or more  adverse childhood experiences were 260% more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 5 times more likely to abuse drugs compared with participants who had not experienced childhood adversity. The infographic below demonstrates the scores and results.

The ACE study's dramatic results show once again the relationship between trauma experienced as a child and  severe difficulties and illnesses as an adult. It is no surprise that when looking back into the history of addicted women adverse childhood experiences are revealed, and have played a major role in their addiction and often mental health issues as well. It is these same adverse experiences that the children of addicted women experience, such as loss of a parent, neglect, domestic violence and other traumas that are experienced just as the mother had experienced during her childhood. When women have children and are abusing substances already gives their child or children a positive ACE score. By preventing another pregnancy until the woman can receive treatment and maintain her sobriety will prevent the same pattern of adverse childhood experiences from occurring again.