When kids struggle, check their ACE Score.

ACE Score

ACE ScoreProblems are a normal part of growing up but sometimes they go beyond that. When important relationships are affected, when grades suffer, or when you just know deep down that something isn’t right, what do you do? Some parents get angry. Some pretend it isn’t a problem. Some look for medical help. Still others seek professional counseling.

There has been a lot of research over the past 20 years into the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) and later behavioral and health problems. By understanding the number of ACE’s a child has been exposed to, we can pretty accurately predict who is, and who is not, likely to experience certain problems later in life.

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesIt’s not an exact science but the relationship is undeniable. A recent study of juvenile offenders in Florida showed over 97% had experienced specific types of childhood adversity. In fact, over 50% reported 4 or more Adverse Childhood Experiences. In the original study of adults, those with an ACE score of 4 or higher were frighteningly more likely to be alcoholics, drug addicts, suffer from heart disease, or have many other serious behavioral and medical problems.

So what about your kids? What’s their ACE score? In fact, what’s yours? They probably aren’t much different. It seems elevated ACE scores are almost like genetic traits that are passed down from generation to generation.

Here are the questions used to calculate your ACE Score. Prior to your 18th birthday:

  1. 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 that you might be physically hurt?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  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?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  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 or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  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?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  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?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  6. Was a biological parent ever lost to you through divorce, abandonment, or other reason ?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  7. Was your mother or stepmother…Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? 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?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  8. Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  9. Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide? No___If Yes, enter 1 __
  10. Did a household member go to prison?
    No___If Yes, enter 1 __

Add up your “Yes” answers to get your ACE score. Scores can range from 0 to 10. Now repeat the questions for your children. What is their ACE Score? What should you do if it’s elevated?

First of all, don’t be too hard on yourself. An elevated ACE Score does dramatically increase the risk of problems, but it doesn’t guarantee them. Those adverse experiences have certainly put some weights on the negative side of the scale but you can start to balance things out. Many factors can increase resilience and often professional counseling can all help tip the scale in your favor.

ACE ScalesThe second thing is to learn all you can about the impact of these experiences on the way one sees the world, responds to conflict, and relates to others. Remember that professional counseling can often help with problems you or your family may not have been able to resolve on your own.

There are several evidence based counseling approaches, including something called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) that have been proven to reduce the symptoms associated with trauma. By addressing these problems now, you have a chance to lower the risk and/or severity of problems later on.

Recovery in Oklahoma, LLC offers trauma-informed and trauma-responsive counseling services for adolescents and their families in Okmulgee and the surrounding areas. Please visit our home page for more information.

For more information on the ACE Study and what it means to have an elevated score, check out these links:

ACE Study Executive Summary

ACE Study: Information Counselors must Know

Centers for Disease Control ACE Site

Aces Too High News