Adverse Childhood Experiences Study
September 23, 2013
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, known as the ACE study, informs Learning Community programs. This leading national investigation explains how adverse childhood experiences hurt very young children in early learning and later in life.
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE) is one of the largest investigations ever conducted. The Centers for Disease Control(CDC)and Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego collaborated to assess the associations between childhood maltreatment and health and well-being later in life.
More than 17,000 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) members agreed to undergo comprehensive physical examinations. After that, they voluntarily shared detailed information about their childhood experiences of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. To date, scientists have published more than 50 articles, also presenting results at hundreds of conferences and workshops.
The findings suggest certain experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death, as well as poor quality of life in the United States. Preventing and recovering from the nation’s worst health and social problems will likely connect to new understandings of the often harsh consequences of adverse childhood experiences.
