An Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) checklist has been used in numerous studies to collect sensitive information on types of childhood trauma: physical abuse, sexual abuse, alcoholic or drug addict parent, family member in jail, battered mother, parent with mental illness, loss of a parent, physical neglect, emotional neglect, or verbal/emotional abuse. These studies have consistently found an association between ACEs and adult chronic disease.

In 2013, the Alberta Adverse Childhood Experiences Study modified the ACE Checklist so that it was appropriate for interviewing people about sensitive issues over the telephone. A survey was conducted among 1,169 Alberta adults ≥ 18 years of age. They asked 8 questions about two main areas of childhood trauma: childhood abuse and growing up in a household where there was family dysfunction.

Fifty-six percent of the adults surveyed had experienced as least one ACE before the age of 18.  About half of these, 24% had experienced one ACE. 12% had experienced 4 or more.

Before the age of 18, 27.2% had experienced abuse and 49.1% had experienced family dysfunction.¹

ACEs rarely occur in isolation. Having one ACE increases the probability of experiencing another one by 84%.¹

Children who experienced more ACEs were more likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions or substance dependence in adulthood.¹

Children who experienced more ACEs were more likely to perceive their physical health, emotional health, and social support as poor.¹

¹Alberta Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey, 2013. http://www.mtroyal.ca/cs/groups/public/documents/pdf/rvpc_gp_finalreport_ace.pdf-accessed June 26,
2017.