Early Adverse Childhood Experiences

There is no real way to tell if a child exposed to intimate partner violence will one day grow up to abuse his or her significant other but there are indicators which will be presented later on in this paper. As well as the short-term and long-term effects that witnessing intimate partner violence can have on children. First off we’ll delve into what intimate partner violence is and some of the national statistics.

After reading, it is logical and makes sense that higher the amount of exposure to childhood trauma would affect someone later in life. These experiences have the ability to cause greater health issues because of it (Stevens, 2014). This aligns with my working knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) research which I have learned from my mentor. This topic is big for her as she works with children and families in our communities for a living. She is aware of my past of being in foster care and has educated me how ACE research pertains to me. A while back she started naming off experiences, asking if I had them in my life, with the goal of educating me about how high my ACE score is and that it makes sense that I got cancer three years

Negative, traumatic events during childhood, otherwise known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), have been shown to increase the risk of early death and disability of children throughout the course of their lifespan in the United States. (CDC, 2014) Increased exposures to major risk factors, such as the neglect, abuse, and the adoption of risky behaviors, account for the majority of ACEs. This project applies geographic information science (GIS) to explain the spatial relationship between ACE populations and proximity to high-risk neighborhoods in the Bronx, New York. It was also serve as a guide to determine if ACE resources are reaching areas with the highest need by studying the relationship between areas with high ACEs and

Childhood trauma is not just widely prevalent but also has pervasive implications for diverse areas of functioning (van der Kolk, 2005). However, research indicates that childhood trauma assessment is often prevented by the social taboos associated with such events as neglect, abuse and exposure to violence yet it is important to acknowledge this. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Studies indicate that there is a very strong relationship between early adverse childhood experiences and other long-term effects such as depression, attempts of suicide, abusing substances like alcohol, cigarette or drugs, domestic violence, reduced physical activity, obesity, sexual promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases. They also predispose people to develop physical ailments such as heart disease, diabetes,

There are millions of examples of children who not only witness intimate partner violence (IPV) but also has been victimized. ( Christoff, Murrell & Henning, 2007) Children exposed to these kinds of violent behavior at such a young age also show signs of these behaviors, many violent, as adults. Evidence shows that witnessing violent behavior as a child correlates to patterns of abuse into adulthood as well. (Murrell et al., 2007) Over the years there has been a growing recognition that young people who witness IPV is has much of the same impact as a child victimized of abuse. This often damages their long term social and emotional well-being. Having a safe place outside of the home along with a supportive

After many studies researchers have confirmed that when children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) it significantly effects their social emotional development (Hughes & Chau, 2013; Herman-Smith, 2013). This raises a concern; if IPV was to be measured emotional abuse should children be removed from their families. If we consider that the majority of children that witness IPV are under six and would not be able to fully understand what is happening we can conclude that they would not be able to report their maltreatment (Hughes & Chau, 2013). If either partner also chooses not to report the abuse it may continue and it would impact the child; the child could experience mental and behavioral problems. Therefore programs should be

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) such as neglect and abuse have the capacity to increase the likelihood of disease, social problems, sexual issues and mental health issues later in adulthood. A dysfunctional home life experience as a child also is also implemented and impacts physical, mental, social and sexual health and wellbeing as an adult.

Domestic violence is a widespread sociological problem wherein women and children are most often the victims. This sociological problem is compounded by the fact that so much domestic violence goes under-reported, whether against women or children. Domestic violence may take a wide range of forms and may include a variant combination of battery, sexual abuse, verbal abuse or general violence. Targets of such behaviors may include a spouse, child or both. For the purposes of this research, there will be an interest in noting the impact on children who are exposed to violence both directly as the victims of abuse or indirectly as witnesses to spousal abuse. In either instance, the same findings are anticipated. Namely, the primary thesis driving the

The ACE Study was designed to answer the question: “If risk factors for disease, disability, and early mortality are not randomly distributed, what early life influences precede the adoption or development of them (preventchildabuse.org)?” Adverse Childhood Experience does not evoke preconceived notions or biases about the perpetrators or victims of child abuse, domestic violence, or persons with mental health or substance abuse issues. The term “adverse” implies stress. However, the biologic stress response is largely responsible for the negative impact of ACEs on brain development. “Experiences” was the term chosen rather than “Environment” because the latter term can imply exposure to environmental toxins. As framed by the study, “Childhood” refers to the first 18 years of life (preventchildabuse.org).

Since beginning the Early Childhood Trauma project little has not surprised me. When we first discussed the project and learned that the men volunteered to participate in this study due to personal desire I was shocked. Maybe it is due to my personal biases, but I would never expect these men, who have mainly negative experiences with institutions to participate in an institutionally based intervention project. The men volunteering for this project indicated that I should attempt to limit guiding my process by preconceived notions and instead be as partial as possible. My lack of understanding, misconceptions and absence of personal experience that relates to these topics no doubt is partially why I find the majority of the information surprising. However, the experience of our first meeting, which I am examining here, was surprising for a different set of reasons. There were several moments during our meeting with DeAndre, Luis, Angle, Junito and Ron I would classify as 'disorienting', and I will reflect and synthesize them in the following paper. They apply to atmosphere, unforeseen commonalities and knowledge,

Implications for Early Childhood Professionals: Research suggests that early childhood educators play important roles in the healing process for young children exposed to violence (Cohen and Knitzer, 2004, p. 52). Educators may be the first person in a child’s life to recognize signs of trauma or they may find out from a parent through disclosure (should we define this?). There are many strategies that educators can implement in early care and education centers that may help children who have experienced trauma. One strategy for teachers is to create a compassionate, nurturing environment through positive guidance, experiences that promote self-esteem and building positive relationships (Cohen and Knitzer, 2004. p. 56). Educators can also provide

When faced with domestic violence these children sometimes carry on violence when they become adults or blame themselves. This article explores theories and situations that show the long term and short term effects of domestic violence. They identified 41 studies that provided relevant and adequate data for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Forty of these studies indicated that children 's exposure to domestic violence was related to emotional and behavioral problems, translating to a small overall effect (Wolfe, Crooks, Lee, McIntyre-Smith, & Jaffe, 2003).

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study was conducted by Kaiser Permanente from 1995 to 1997 (Center of Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.). ACE study is “one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and later-life health and wellbeing” (CDC, n.d.). There were over 17,000 participants. These participants were given surveys about their childhood experiences and overall health along with physical examinations. The survey asked about three categories of adverse childhood experiences: abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), neglect (physical and emotional), and household challenges (substance abuse, mental illness, violence, divorce/separation, family members going to jail/prison). Each of the three categories had subcategories which resulted in 10 types of adverse experiences. Each participant received a score between 0-10 depending on how many experiences they had in their childhood. The study concluded the higher the score the more the person would be affected emotionally or physically. “The ACE study showed dramatic links between adverse childhood experiences and risky behavior, psychological issues, serious illnesses, and the leading cause of death (CDC, n.d.).

Increased health care services: Violence and abuse counted for up to 37.5% of total healthcare costs in 2008. Children who experience sexual violence also experience lifelong consequences. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study, both positive and negative childhood experiences have an impact on future violence, victimization, health, and opportunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the lifetime costs associated with child maltreatment is $124 billion with about $25 billion for healthcare costs. One study found that the long-term annual health care costs were 16% higher for women with a history of sexual

To address and decrease domestic violence occurring, professionals have recognized some preventative measures that include identifying factors that predispose a victim to abuse. Witnessing domestic violence as a child illustrates inappropriate behaviors that the child will learn is acceptable, normal and inevitable. When a mother is subjected to violence in front of her daughter, they internalize these behaviors of her attacker and learn to mimic the submissive, beaten down condition of her mother. In some cases, children have also been found to seek out similar relationships in adulthood that mirror the characteristics of the abuser in their household while growing up. A study conducted by The College Student Journal analyzed aspects of father-daughter