What is your ACE score and what does it mean? Understanding the consequences of childhood trauma
Read the entire series here.
Adverse Childhood Experiences — ACEs — are linked to a wide range of physical and psychological problems, from obesity and drug addiction to cancer rates and domestic violence.
Your ACE score starts with a simple test listing 10 of the most common adverse childhood experiences. A single point is scored for each one a person has suffered. Even a score of 2 or 3 can increase a person's risk of facing a lifetime of issues.
Oklahoma's children have the highest ACE scores in the country. Not coincidentally, the state tops the country in many of those physical and psychological problems too.
Follow the graphics below to find out your ACE score, the consequences, the risks and the mitigating factors that can reverse some of the damage.
Oklahoma and Adverse Childhood Experiences
Take the test to determine your ACE score. On the following slides, you'll find a series of 10 questions. For each "yes" answer, score one point. As your ACE score increases, so does the risk of disease and social problems. An ACE score of 3 or more is considered high. Question 1
Before you were 18, did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often swear at you, insult you, put you down or humiliate you, or act in a way that made you afraid you might be physically hurt?
Question 2
Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often push, grab, slap or throw something at you, or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
Question 3
Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way, or attempt to actually have oral, anal or vaginal intercourse with you?
Question 4
Did you often or very often feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special, or your family didn't look out for each other, feel close to each other or support each other?
Question 5
Did you often or very often feel that you didn't have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes and had no one to protect you, or your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
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Question 6
Was a biological parent ever lost to you through divorce, abandonment or other reason?
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Question 7
Was a parent often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped or had something thrown at him or her by a domestic partner, or sometimes, often or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist or hit with something hard, or ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?
Question 8
Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic or who used street drugs?
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Question 9
Was a household member depressed or mentally ill or did a household member attempt suicide?
Question 10
Did a household member go to prison?
The ACE test
These are the 10 Adverse Childhood Experiences
These adverse childhood experiences make up the ACE test.
Outcomes of ACEs
As a person's ACE score increases, so do the risks of these social and physical problems.
Examining the risk
Some common adverse outcomes include drug use, smoking, attempted suicide, obesity and alcoholism. As a person's ACE score grows, so does the risk of these outcomes.
Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACES)
Understanding ACEs
Oklahoma's individual category rankings include 32nd among the states in economic well-being, 41st in family and community context, 45th in education and 42nd in health.