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iSOSY Personal Wellness

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Welcome to the recorded version of iSOSY’s training on Adverse Childhood Experiences, commonly known as ACEs.

Knowledge about Adverse Childhood Experiences is vital to anyone seeking to understand the effects of trauma in students’ lives and how to offer trauma-informed care.

ACEs appear in many forms and can affect brain development, behavior, and learning. This module focuses on common responses that occur as a result of ACEs. When children experience adverse events or a series of events, their coping abilities become overwhelmed. These effects convey life-long implications for health.

Childhood trauma is not something one just “gets over” as one ages. The repeated stress of abuse, neglect, and family members struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. These effects unfold across a lifetime, exposing those who have experienced high levels of trauma to the risk of chronic physical health issues, depression, and other mental health struggles.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Today you will learn to:

Understand the role that ACEs plays in the lives of migratory students and families.
Understand the importance of resilience in the lives of migratory students affected by ACEs.
Review and understand the ACEs Questionnaire that helps determine personal ACEs scores.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Today you will learn to:

Access the ACEs Literature Review and accompanying slide presentations on the iSOSY website as tools to help others understand ACEs.
Determine appropriate resources to connect with when you feel students or families are struggling with mental/ emotional/physical health issues.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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What are ACEs?

ACEs = Adverse Childhood Experiences

ACEs are traumatic or stress-inducing experiences that happen before adulthood and affect brain chemistry, especially with prolonged exposure.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs

on the Surface and Beneath

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As a logical addition to how we think about ACEs, it’s become apparent that we need to also consider the environment as a potentially adverse experience for children and adults alike. Natural disasters can have have lasting impact on our brains, our behaviors and how - and even whether - we view the world as a safe place.

Anxiety and trauma-related symptoms can arise from extreme environmental changes. Changes in weather and climate have produced record heat, droughts, storms, tornados, all affecting migratory families. Even when not directly impacted, experiencing or witnessing weather disasters can disrupt our life in many ways, including physical and mental health struggles. Increased levels of anxiety, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often accompany environmental disasters.

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At this point, let’s dig into the ACEs questionnaire, ACEs scoring, and the implications of those scores.

The activity will help us understand the questions that determine ACEs scores. It will also help you understand your own personal ACEs score. Following this activity, you will be able to better explain to others the process of using the ACEs Questionnaire.

Make sure you have a hard copy of the ACEs Questionnaire in front of you.

Take the time you need to review the list of questions and answer honestly. You will not be sharing your answers. This exercise is for your own private benefit.

--PAUSE—

Now that you have answered the questions, simply add up the points (1 for each “yes” answer) to determine your own personal ACEs score.

Take a few more moments for quiet reflection.

Did you realize anything that you were not expecting?

--PAUSE—

Are you surprised at your final score?

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Do you believe your own ACEs score influences your level of personal well-being?

--PAUSE—

Self-knowledge is the first step toward recognizing the effects of ACEs on a personal level and realizing the personal need for each of us to develop strategies that help to cope, calm, and heal.

Let’s look at what ACEs mean and the impact that they can have on our lives.

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Just the facts…

United States

0 ACEs
1 ACE 63.9%
2 ACEs - 3 ACEs 23.1%
4 or More ACEs 17.3%

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highest among females
persons aged 25-34
AI/AN adults
muli-racial adults

household incomes <$15,000
those with less than a high school education
those unable to work

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse Childhood Experiences often include: families not having enough money to pay for basic living expenses (food, housing, clothing, etc.); the death of a parent or guardian; children witnessing or being victims of violence in their neighborhood.

The prevalence of four or more ACEs was highest among females (19.2%), persons aged 25–34 years (25.2%), AI/AN adults (32.4%), and multiracial adults (31.5%).

The prevalence of four or more ACEs was also higher among adults with household incomes <$15,000 (24.1%), those with less than a high school education (20.5%), and those who were unable to work (28.8%). Adults with an ACE score of four or more are more likely to attempt suicide, use injected drugs, and have depression and lung disease. It’s not anything that anyone aspires to, yet it’s very real for all too many.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs directly impact our health, both in the long and short term. Stress increases a child’s heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and muscle tension. Their thinking brain is completely knocked offline. Self-protection is their priority.

Toxic stress responses occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity without adequate adult support. This kind of prolonged activation of the stress response systems can disrupt the development of brain architecture and other organ systems and increase the risk for stress-related disease and cognitive impairment, well into adult years. When toxic stress response occurs continually, or is triggered by multiple sources, it can have a cumulative toll on an individual’s physical and mental health - for a lifetime. The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and later health problems, including damage to all organs, and the immune system, heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse and depression.

It’s important to note that research also indicates that supportive, responsive relationships with caring adults - as early in life as possible - can prevent or reverse the damaging effects of toxic stress response.

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Someone who has an extensive trauma history may be easily triggered or “set off” and is more likely to react very intensely. They may struggle with knowing how to calm down and may lack impulse control or the ability to think through consequences before acting. As a result, their behavior may appear unpredictable, oppositional, volatile, and extreme. Anyone who feels powerless or who grew up fearing an abusive authority figure may react defensively and aggressively in response to perceived blame or attack, or alternately, may at times be overcontrolled, rigid, and unusually compliant. �

Traumatized children are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as self-harm, unsafe sexual practices, and excessive risk-taking such as driving at high speeds. They may also engage in illegal activities, such as alcohol and substance use, assaulting others, stealing, running away, and/or prostitution, thereby making it more likely that they will enter the juvenile justice system. These behaviors may continue throughout adulthood.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Effects of ACEs Beyond Childhood

This video illustrates how Adverse Childhood Experiences can result in challenges during adulthood.

Childhood abuse can have far-reaching effects.

From insecurities to intimacy issues, from not daring to trust people… to difficulties making friends, the effects of childhood abuse can show in any area of your life.

Let’s watch the video “7 Ways Childhood Trauma Follow You into Adulthood”

--PLAY VIDEO—

Let’s review the seven ways childhood trauma can follow you into adulthood:

1. You do not remember your younger years.

2. You find yourself in toxic relationships.

3. You feel like you do not deserve love at all.

4. You develop passive aggressiveness.

5. Negative self-talk is amplified.

6. You ride an emotional rollercoaster.

7. You do not know who you are.

Now let’s consider:

Do we know students who express these behaviors?

--PAUSE—

How can we educate students regarding these lasting impacts?

--PAUSE—

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs

Pyramid

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs Life Expectancy

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Factors that may contribute to ACEs for the migratory student:

Leaving homeland or home-base
Frequent moves
Immigration status (fear of parents being deported,

being left behind)

Reasons for migrating (fleeing trauma)
Living situation (poverty, homelessness)

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

The Effects of ACEs

Can be Prevented

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Moving

from

ACEs

to

Resilience

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Preventing ACEs could reduce health concerns

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Let’s create positive childhood experiences. Many of these possibilities are within our grasp.

Strengthen financial stability… this might include

paid time off
flexible - but consistent work schedules -

Promote social norms that protect against violence

positive parenting programs
targeted prevention programs for men/boys / these could be mentoring programs

Get kids off to a good start

early learning programs
affordable childcare programs that support learning

Teach / model healthy relationships

Help develop good communication skills - including those that support:
conflict resolution, anger management, peer pressure
even dating programs that support non-violent, health relationships

Focus on Connections - the more the better, there cannot be too many healthy connections

after school programs
mentoring programs

Intervene when something starts to go wrong.

early intervention is key
destigmatize the fact that therapy, counseling or any kind of treatment is a positive sign of strength
Remember… referrals can be life-saving.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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ACEs Resources on the iSOSY Website

There are numerous resources about ACEs on the iSOSY website: http://www.osymigrant.org/Newsite/educat/ACES.html

These resources provide additional background on the original study, how it applies to OSY and migratory students, as well as strategies to address the effects of ACEs in those populations.

The resources also introduce the intriguing concept of epigenetics, whereby trauma can actually change a person’s DNA and pass down those effects to future generation.

The ACEs Literature Review is broken down into easy-to-digest slide shows that cover the important concepts in the following chapters:

Defining ACEs
Original ACEs study history
Epigenetics Explanation
ACEs in the Migrant Population
Understanding the Effect of Trauma on OSY
Strategies for Helping Students with ACEs

You may explore these resources by using both our Jigsaw or Scavenger Hunt Activities.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Explore the ACEs Literature Review -

Jigsaw Activity

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Explore the ACEs Literature Review -

Scavenger Hunt Activity

?

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Please use the link to fill out an evaluation. Thank you!

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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