ACEs Questionnaire

Elaine, I am an adoptee and felt I was able to answer the questions. I answered from my experiences in my adoptive family. I also include what I now know what happened when I was in vitro. My birth mom was using and I was born addicted. She also has bipolar disorder. So I answered referring to the hybrid nature of my existence- genetic and environment.

There are additional concerns I have addressed in the past. First, we have no language, memories nor a particular cultural orientation prior to age 5. Second, there is a concept referred to as Childhood Autobiographical Memory Disturbance (CAMD) which masks memory for a period of time.  Here is a link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/...407002128?via%3Dihub

I have advocated for development of an algorithm based on exhibited behaviors. When I see someone who has a certain range of behaviors, it tells me that they have been exposed to ACEs. I don't really feel that having an ACE number is critical. The first half of the ACE study had 8 questions and added 2 more for the second half. And the Principal Invstigators have stated that there are more that could have been studied. They focused on the ones they saw most often.  It is more helpful to me to see the category one fits into based on the model developed by the Harvard Center on the Developing Child of Normal, Tolerable and Toxic Stress.

Thanks for asking a great question.