Researchers have determined that 10 specific traumatic childhood experiences could result in a higher likelihood of health challenges later in life.

These experiences, known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can have lasting effects on physical and mental health well into adulthood.

Taking the childhood trauma test and understanding your ACE score can be an important first step in addressing past trauma and improving your overall wellbeing.

The 10 ACEs Are Defined As The Following Childhood Experiences:

Physical abuse: Experiencing physical harm from a parent or adult in your household
Emotional abuse: Being insulted, humiliated, or made to feel afraid by a parent or adult
Sexual abuse: Being touched inappropriately or being made to touch an adult sexually
Physical neglect: Not having enough to eat, wearing dirty clothes, or lacking protection
Emotional neglect: Feeling unloved, unsupported, or that your family wasn’t close
Parental separation or divorce: Parents who were separated or divorced
Mother treated violently: Witnessing your mother being hit, beaten, or threatened
Household substance abuse: Living with someone who had a drinking or drug problem
Household mental illness: Living with someone who was depressed, mentally ill, or attempted suicide
Incarcerated household member: Having a household member go to prison

What Does Your ACE Score Mean?

Your ACE score indicates how many of these 10 adverse experiences you encountered before age 18. Higher scores are associated with increased risks for various health issues:

0 ACEs: Lower risk than average population
1-3 ACEs: Moderate risk for health issues including depression, anxiety, and certain physical conditions
4+ ACEs: Significantly higher risk for chronic health problems, mental health disorders, substance abuse issues, and reduced life expectancy

Research shows that people with 4 or more ACEs are:

2-4 times more likely to use alcohol or drugs
4-12 times more likely to attempt suicide
More likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic conditions

What Doesn't The Quiz Take Into Account?

While the ACE study provides valuable insights, it has limitations. The quiz doesn’t measure protective factors or individual resilience that can buffer against trauma effects. It also excludes other significant traumas like community violence, bullying, or serious accidents.

Cultural context plays an important role in how trauma is experienced and processed, yet the quiz applies a standardized approach. Additionally, the timing and duration of traumatic experiences aren’t considered, though these factors significantly impact how trauma affects development.

How Can Learning My Score Be Helpful?

Understanding your ACE score can provide context for current behaviors, reactions, and health challenges you may face. This knowledge often reduces shame by helping you recognize that your struggles may be connected to past experiences rather than personal failings.

Healthcare providers can use this information to develop more appropriate care plans tailored to your specific needs.

Learning your score can also motivate positive change, inspiring proactive steps toward healing and building resilience. Perhaps most importantly, addressing your own trauma can help break cycles of intergenerational trauma within families.

How Common Is Childhood Trauma?

Childhood trauma is surprisingly prevalent across society.

61% of adults report experiencing at least one ACE, while nearly 1 in 6 adults report experiencing four or more ACEs. These experiences occur across all socioeconomic levels, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds, though certain populations may have higher rates due to systemic factors like poverty and lack of resources.

The widespread nature of ACEs highlights the importance of trauma-informed approaches in healthcare, education, and community services.

Symptoms of Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma can manifest in numerous ways throughout life, affecting emotional regulation, physical health, relationships, cognitive functioning, and behavioral patterns.

These symptoms may emerge immediately after traumatic experiences or appear years later, often triggered by life transitions or stressors.

Understanding these diverse manifestations can help individuals recognize the impact of past trauma and seek appropriate support.

Emotional Symptoms

Complex emotional responses: Experiencing emotions with unusual intensity or difficulty identifying and naming feelings
Emotional dysregulation: Rapid mood swings, difficulty calming down after becoming upset
Persistent fear and anxiety: Chronic worry, hypervigilance, or feeling constantly “on edge”
Depression and hopelessness: Persistent sadness, lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, feelings that life will never improve
Shame and self-blame: Deep-seated belief that the trauma was somehow deserved or self-inflicted
Emotional numbness: Disconnection from emotions, feeling “empty” or “hollow”
Low self-esteem: Pervasive negative self-perception and diminished sense of self-worth
Difficulty with emotional intimacy: Fear of vulnerability or sharing feelings with others
Intrusive emotions: Sudden emotional flooding related to traumatic memories
Guilt: Persistent feelings of responsibility for traumatic events or for surviving when others didn’t
Anger issues: Inappropriate outbursts, chronic irritability, or suppressed rage
Emotional flashbacks: Re-experiencing the emotional states associated with past trauma without necessarily having visual memories

Physical Symptoms

Chronic health conditions: Autoimmune disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome
Somatic symptoms: Physical manifestations of emotional distress without medical cause
Sleep disturbances: Insomnia, nightmares, sleep terrors, or excessive sleeping
Altered stress response: Hyperactive or blunted physiological responses to stress
Chronic pain: Persistent headaches, back pain, or generalized body aches without clear medical cause
Gastrointestinal issues: Irritable bowel syndrome, stomach pain, digestive problems
Compromised immune function: Frequent illness or infections
Cardiovascular problems: Elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations, risk of heart disease
Respiratory issues: Asthma, chronic bronchitis, heightened sensitivity to respiratory infections
Hypersensitivity to physical sensations: Extreme reactions to touch, sound, or other sensory input
Neurological symptoms: Migraines, dizziness, or unexplained neurological complaints
Physical tension: Chronic muscle tension, jaw clenching, or physical rigidity
Disrupted physical development: Delayed growth or accelerated maturation processes
Metabolic issues: Obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome occurring at higher rates
Sexual dysfunction: Discomfort with physical intimacy, arousal disorders, or pain during sexual activity

Cognitive Symptoms

Memory disruptions: Gaps in childhood memories or highly detailed traumatic memories
Dissociation: Mental detachment from thoughts, feelings, surroundings, or sense of identity
Negative cognitive patterns: Pervasive negative thoughts about self, others, and the world
Concentration difficulties: Problems focusing, completing tasks, or maintaining attention
Hypervigilance: Excessive alertness to potential threats in the environment
Distorted thinking: Black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, or overgeneralizing
Intrusive thoughts: Unwanted thoughts about traumatic experiences
Executive function challenges: Difficulty with planning, organizing, problem-solving
Learning difficulties: Challenges with processing information or academic performance
Diminished cognitive flexibility: Rigid thinking patterns and resistance to new perspectives
Impaired decision-making: Difficulty evaluating options and making choices
Fragmented sense of time: Disorientation about chronology or feeling “stuck” in the past
Reduced cognitive processing speed: Slowed thinking or mental “fogginess”
Poor self-perception: Distorted body image or sense of self
Difficulty with cause-and-effect thinking: Challenges understanding consequences of actions

Behavioral Symptoms

Self-destructive behaviors: Self-harm, suicidal ideation, or risky activities
Substance abuse: Using alcohol or drugs to manage emotional pain
Avoidance behaviors: Steering clear of people, places, or situations that trigger trauma memories
Compulsive behaviors: Excessive cleaning, organizing, checking, or other repetitive actions
Disordered eating patterns: Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or emotional eating
Aggressive behavior: Verbal or physical aggression toward others
People-pleasing tendencies: Excessive compliance or difficulty setting boundaries
Isolation: Withdrawing from social connections and activities
Attachment issues: Clinging behavior or extreme independence
Self-sabotage: Unconsciously undermining personal success or happiness
Perfectionism: Setting impossible standards to gain a sense of control
Regression: Returning to behaviors typical of earlier developmental stages when stressed
Impulsivity: Acting without consideration of consequences
Ritualistic behaviors: Developing personal rituals to create a sense of safety
Compulsive achievement: Using success as a way to prove self-worth or escape painful feelings
Workaholism: Excessive focus on productivity to avoid emotional processing
Caregiving compulsion: Chronic focus on others’ needs while neglecting one’s own

Causes of Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma stems from a complex interplay of circumstances, events, and environments that overwhelm a child’s ability to cope. These experiences can range from acute, single incidents to chronic, repeated exposure to adverse conditions.

Understanding these diverse causes can help in prevention efforts, early intervention, and developing appropriate treatment approaches.

While ACEs represent specific traumatic experiences, other contributing factors include:

Family dynamics: Dysfunctional family systems and intergenerational trauma
Environmental factors: Poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, lack of community resources
Systemic issues: Discrimination, inadequate social services, limited access to healthcare
Natural disasters and accidents: Floods, fires, serious accidents, or sudden loss

Treatment For Childhood Trauma

Recovery from childhood trauma typically begins with outpatient therapy options like trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), EMDR, somatic experiencing, or narrative therapy.

These evidence-based approaches help survivors process traumatic memories, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and rebuild a sense of safety and control.

However, when trauma symptoms are compounded by co-occurring conditions such as severe depression, PTSD, self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation, or substance use disorders, more intensive treatment approaches may be necessary.

In these situations, the fragility of the individual’s mental state or the potential dangers of withdrawal require the structured environment and round-the-clock supervision that only inpatient or residential treatment can provide.

The appropriate level of care depends on multiple factors including symptom severity, safety concerns, previous treatment response, and available support systems.

For some individuals, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) or partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) offer a middle ground, providing structured treatment during the day while allowing patients to return home in the evenings.

Specialized trauma treatment centers often offer phased approach that begins with safety and stabilization before moving to trauma processing and integration. Regardless of setting, effective trauma treatment must address the whole person—incorporating approaches that heal mind, body, and spirit while recognizing that recovery isn’t linear.

The most successful treatment plans are individualized, culturally responsive, and recognize that healing from childhood trauma is not about erasing the past but about integrating these experiences into one’s life story in a way that allows for growth, connection, and renewed purpose.

Find Help For Mental Health Today

Your ACE score is not your destiny.

With appropriate support and treatment, you can process past trauma and build a healthier future.

Healing is possible at any age—whether you’re just recognizing the impact of childhood experiences or have been aware for years.

Peachtree Wellness Solutions offers multiple options for mental health treatment and have helped thousands create new lives.

Call us now at 770-202-1260 or verify your insurance.

Last Updated on:
March 11, 2025

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The 10 ACEs Are Defined As The Following Childhood Experiences:

What Does Your ACE Score Mean?