By the Center for Disease Control
The CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and later-life health and well-being.
The original ACE Study was conducted at Kaiser Permanente from 1995 to 1997 with two waves of data collection. Over 17,000 Health Maintenance Organization members from Southern California receiving physical exams completed confidential surveys regarding their childhood experiences and current health status and behaviors.
The CDC continues ongoing surveillance of ACEs by assessing the medical status of the study participants via periodic updates of morbidity and mortality data.
More detailed information about the study can be found in the links below or in “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults,” published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 1998, Volume 14, pages 245–258.
“As the ACE study has shown, child abuse and neglect is the single most preventable cause of mental illness, the single most common cause of drug and alcohol abuse, and a significant contributor to leading causes of death such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and suicide.”
– Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
Share This Post!
Children, Teens Are in a ‘Mental Health State of Emergency,’ Child Health-Care Groups Warn
By Alyson Klein There’s been a quieter, parallel pandemic happening alongside COVID-19: a spike in significant mental health problems among young people, spurred by isolation, uncertainty, fear, and grief. Mental health [...]
Making the Connection: Trauma and Substance Abuse
Data from the most recent National Survey of Adolescents and other studies indicate that one in four children and adolescents in the United States experiences at least one potentially traumatic event before [...]
Helping immigrant children heal
Twenty years ago, Hami Torres fled Mexico at age 13, her 11-year-old brother in tow. Terrified, they trekked for hours with a group of older strangers through desert scrub that slashed Hami's [...]
What is test anxiety and how can we support students when they experience it?
As the first day of school approaches, parents and children gather their backpacks as educators finalize lesson plans and ready their classrooms. The new school year offers a fresh start for students [...]
Managing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic
While we are all focusing on taking care of our physical health as the outbreak of COVID-19 develops, it’s also important to keep our mental health a priority. When there is a [...]
Integrating parents with trauma histories into child trauma treatment: Establishing core components.
To identify core components of parent/caregiver integration into evidence based child trauma treatment models, specifically those parents/caregivers who have experienced trauma themselves. The Parent/Caregiver Trauma and Healing Coordinating Group (PCTHCG) of the [...]