The Study


In-depth with ACEs

Learning more

There are many excellent resources describing the background and effects of ACEs on the internet.

If you are new to the topic of ACEs, we suggest that you spend 15 minutes watching the breathtaking MedTED presentation by Nadine Burke Harris (embedded below).


What is the ACE Study?

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study) is a research study conducted by Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Participants were recruited to the study between 1995 and 1997 and have been in long-term follow up for health outcomes. The study has demonstrated an association of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with health and social problems as an adult.

The study has been analyzed extensively, is frequently cited as a notable landmark in epidemiological research, and has produced more than 50 scientific articles and more than 100 conference and workshop presentations that look at the prevalence and consequences of ACEs.

Source: The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study on Wikipedia

Are there other studies?

Yes. A joint French-British research project have indicated similar patterns in a British population.

Also, a number of state-level studies have been made in the US, all supporting the data in the primary ACE Study:


Further resources

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study

Huffington Post

The ACE Study - probably the most important public health study you never heard of

Foundations of lifelong health are built in early childhood

Harvard Center on the Developing Child

Read the PDF from Harvard on the profound effects on ACEs on lifelong health

Why the Most Significant Factor in Predicting Chronic Disease May Be Childhood Trauma

National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine

A PDF transcript of a teleseminar session with Vincent Felitti. MD and Ruth Buczynski, PhD

Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Lifelong Consequences of Trauma

American Academy of Pediatrics

Read the PDF from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the findings of the ACE Study

Getting in-depth with the ACE Study findings

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Explore the science behind the ACE Study, and get in-depth information about the medical effects of ACEs

Adverse childhood events linked to premature death

NHS (UK Goverment)

Traumatic childhoods increase the risk of death before the age of 50 by up to 80%

Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links Among Multiple Forms of Violence

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Research on the connections between different forms of violence and describe how these connections affect communities

The Effects of Childhood Stress on Health Across the Lifespan

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

The Effects of Childhood Stress on Health Across the Lifespan is a publication in PDF format by the CDC

Aces Too High

AcesTooHigh.com

ACESTooHigh is the leading news site relating to prevention and effects of adverse childhood effects

acestudy.org

Health Presentations

A website created by the authors behind the ACE Study with a lot of learning resources

ADHD and trauma go hand-in-hand (Danish)

Psygo.dk

A report on the Montefiore children's hospital study describing a link between ADHD and ACE exposure

Early Experiences Can Alter Gene Expression and Affect Long-Term Development

Psygo.dk

A report on the Montefiore children's hospital study describing a link between ADHD and ACE exposure

Childhood Adversity and Epigenetic Modulation

plos.org

An academic paper describing possible epigenetic links between ACEs and gene expression

Long Term Physical Health Consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Harvard Center on the Developing Child

New scientific research shows that environmental influences can actually affect whether and how genes are expressed.

The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress

American Academy of Pediatrics

A paper describing the lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress

The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress

American Academy of Pediatrics

A paper describing the lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress

The Aftermath of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Beyond

Dr. Ruth Lanius, the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative

A presentation describing the PTSD and suffering often associated with ACEs

Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences

Ohio Association for Infant Mental Health

A PDF describing possible ways to address the long-term effects of ACES

Adverse Childhood Experiences: National and State-level Prevalence

Child Trends

A PDF describing the prevalence of ACEs in the US

Adverse Childhood Experiences among New York’s Adults

New York Council on Children and Families

A PDF describing a study of the impact of ACEs on population groups in New York City

Adverse Childhood Experiences among New York’s Adults

SAMHSA’s GAINS Center

How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses

Invisible Children (book)

Mike Tikkanen

A very recommended (free/donation-based) book on the negative impact of adverse childhood effects within society

Adverse childhood events appear to increase the risk of being a hypertensive adult

Science Blog / Georgia Regents University

Research findings from a cardiovascular research initiative