Ace score

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hi i just did my ACE score -
And came out as 4 extremely high
Quote
An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems..

It has been 'Good' to do this test and then  able to look at the results in a bar chart format and the likelihood of different areas of life, social financial health and wellbeing being affected  in adulthood ..
I am going to keep this score in mind it really helps to seey problems often havent been off my own making ...
Adverse conditions equal adverse consequences ...
Grateful today that I'm on some stable ground ...i am thriving right now as opposed to surviving (but that changes depending on ef ..
Interested to hear others experience of ace scoring

[Kizzie]

I am going to keep this score in mind it really helps to seey problems often havent been off my own making ...

I was daunted & depressed by my score when I first took the test, and never thought of looking it as validation that it was not ME that was the problem, it was what happened to me. 

Tks for this Boats, it's a good take away to keep in mind for times when we think we are somehow at fault or defective or whatever else negative our ICr throws at us. 

[maricelt]

My ACE score is 5.
When I first found, was introduced, to the ACE scoring program I was stunned at my score. I had always thought my 'childhood' was 'normal'. I often referred to it as 'growing up in a 50s sit com.'
Since then I've realized how sterile and impersonal a 50s sit com is. How superficial. And the analogy rings even truer.
Thank you for the perspective. It helps.

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hi maricelt
Yes i found it  quite shocking to see it in the ace framework ...i still have thoughts of 'it wasnt that bad and then as the years have gone on and I've gone deeper into the re covering i promptly realize it was ..
Sterile 50s sounds cold i can draw a parallel to a fearful depressing 70s.

[ChronosBane]

I received a 7, which I understand is supposed to be quite high. I attribute most of my trauma and unhelpful traits to my 3rd mother who was around from about 9 years old to present, but many of the extra points on the ACE scale came from the previous two mothers, and from my father as well.

I don't know how I feel about this scale. I know I have CPTSD with borderline traits, and I know I had 18 years of four different parental figures dealing trauma to me at different stages of psychosocial development, which is why the score is so high, but it doesn't feel like I suffer from my instabilities proportionally worse than a 4 on the scale would.

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hi chrono
Ah OK interesting ....
Well these things are often just a gauge and not the whole picture ..hey..what ever feels helpful for u is key i would say ... Sometimes being having high results in something is a category rather than a given
For me it just helped to see the results to validate my experience was bad (as my head can sometimes tell me I'm over dramatising ...

[Rovivrus]

I'm a little scared of any kind of tests like this because no matter how good they can sound, who provide the data for the score is always the abused child.

The problem is, how good is the abused child at recognizing the abuse and providing that data? How much could a test help to recognize that?

Even of they'd use good questions, there is still things that one may not see in that current moment, the score wouldn't be accurate then.

I always had high scores in general, bit never felt they were a good way to classify things. In my experience, scores can also be used badly (I see this nowadays).

So, is this test really good for us?

I have not yet looked at it. It doesn't make me comfortable (perhaps as I 99℅ of times have been neglected, generally, to the point when I can so easily be triggered).

[Three Roses]

For me, it was kind of refreshing to read from a therapeutic point of view that the things I went through really were abusive - that I'd always been told "weren't that bad", "you've got it better than a lot of other kids", and other minimizing statements. It was like finally someone said, "No, these things are harmful and hurtful and you are normal to feel traumatized by them." Although I do feel the questions could be expanded a bit, maybe it's just that the authors of the ACE test simply didn't think of the other circumstances I've been through because they're so abnormal.

[ChronosBane]

For me, it was kind of refreshing to read from a therapeutic point of view that the things I went through really were abusive

That's an excellent point and absolutely reframes my perception of this test.

[NickyS]

Mine was a 7 I have a lot of physical health issues on top of the ones I had as a child , now my psychologist I see tells me it's likely because of the complex ptsd and adverse childhood experiences that I got more as an adult , but what was sad for me was Thunking i had severe illness in childhood and was in hospital by myself a lot too and then I went home to pain and suffering that landed me more as an adult like many others . I also have learning difficulties and got no help with them we all can have other stuff on top of these aces which just add to the mess I guess 😢

[Rovivrus]

What happen if someone highly abused does this test and receive a very low score?

Data (Facts):
Person: John
Affected by C-PTSD
Heavily abused (physically and emotionally), highly gas-lighted and also the FOO mirrored their behaviour onto him.
ACE score received: very low

I still believe is not a remote possibility, and if this would happen I'd imagine John would feel really bet, that's the reason I don't feel well about this test, but it may be just a fast judgment.

One of the worst aspect of C-PTSD I think is probably when someone is so abused in a way find it hard to validate and even relate with other survivors. If John would fit into this scenario too, then a low ACE score would be even worse.

I swear, in my life, I've seen people who I believe they had traumatic childhood and C-PTSD, and they just struggle to find any support, but the people who are close to them can potentially abuse and/or neglect them when they try to open up.
This is one of the things that makes my blood boil and I want to much to find a way to make it better in the future.
Edit: I'd imagine those persons could potentially get a low score, but it is just an intuition. Take it with a grain of salt, but please consider it. I appreciate the opinions of this community.

[Kizzie]

This is a bit of a non-starter imo Rovi - no-one who has been exposed to ongoing trauma in childhood would receive a low score unless they don't answer the questions accurately. What's much more likely to happen (and has to many of us) is that our trauma is invalidated by others and that can set us way back. It's why having a group like this or a T who is trauma informed is so important to recovery.

[Rovivrus]

What would be your view on this ACE score for members without trauma informed T./group?
Would you recommend it to new members?

[Just Hatched]

I know this is an old topic, but wanted to reply anyway. My ACE score it either 3 or 4, depending on how I answer question 9 about mental illness in the family. I believe both of my parents would qualify for a mental illness if they were ever tested by today's standards, but both of them project all their stuff on to everyone else and think they are fine. Both of them would score high on the scale for a cluster B type personality disorder and they are both very anxious in different ways.

Another thing which bothers me about this test is there are so many other kinds of trauma which can effect a child, things not mentioned, like being moved across the world to a different country and culture, away from extended family and friends, with no emotional support or help, which is what happened to me.

I think this test needs updating to take into account other factors which are now known to be traumatic.

[Three Roses]

Agreed!