Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Using Evidence to Advance Research, Practice, Policy, and Prevention defines ACEs, provides a summary of the past 20 years of ACEs research, as well as provides guidance for the future directions for the field. It includes a review of the original ACEs Study, definitions of ACEs, and how ACEs are typically assessed. Other content includes a review of how ACEs are related to mental and physical health outcome, the neurodevelopmental mechanisms linking ACEs to psychopathology, sexual violence and sexual health outcomes, and violence across the lifespan. Important and contemporary issues in the field, like reconsidering how ACEs should be defined and assessed, the appropriateness of routine ACEs screening, thinking about ACEs from a public health and global perspective, strategies for preventing ACEs, understanding ACEs and trauma-informed care and resilience, and the importance of safe stable and nurturing environments for children are discussed. Adverse Childhood Experiences is a useful evidence-based resource for professionals working with children and families, including physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, lawyers, judges, as well as public health leaders, policy makers, and government delegates.

• Reviews the past 20 years of ACEs research
• Examines ACEs and mental and physical health
• Discusses the neurodevelopment mechanisms of ACEs and psychopathology
• Examines ACEs and violence across the lifespan
• Reconsiders the definition and assessment of ACEs
• Examines the issue of routine ACEs screening
• Discusses ACEs from a public health and global perspective
• Summarizes effective ACEs prevention, trauma-informed care, and resilience
• Provides recommendations for the future directions of the ACEs field

Researchers, clinicians, and graduate students in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work, and policy makers

Preface
Gordon J.G. Asmundson and Tracie O. Afifi
1. Twenty years and counting; The past, present, and future of ACEs research
Shanta Rishi Dube
2. ACEs: Definitions, measurement, and prevalence
Katie A. Ports, Derek C. Ford, Melissa T. Merrick, and Angie S. Guinn
3. Considerations for Expanding the Definition of ACEs
Tracie O. Afifi
4. ACEs and mental health outcomes
Julia Sheffler, Ian Stanley and Natalie Sachs-Ericsson
5. ACEs and physical health outcomes 
Kelsey D. Vig, Michelle M. Paluszek and Gordon Asmundson
6. ACEs, sexual violence, and sexual health 
Christine Wekerle, Martine Hebert, Isabelle Daigneault, Elisabeth Fortin-Langelier and Savanah Smith
7. ACEs and Violence in Adulthood
Tamara T. Taillieu, Isabel Garces Davila and Shannon Struck
8. Routine Screening of ACEs: Should We or Shouldn’t We?
John D. McLennan, Jill McTavish, Harriet L. MacMillan
9. Methodological considerations in ACEs research 
George W. Holden
10. The Public Health Issue of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Canada
Lil Tonmyr, Joanne Lacroix and Margret Herbert
11. A Global Perspective on ACEs
Greta M. Massetti, Karen Hughes, Mark A Bellis, and James Mercy
12. Effective Prevention of ACEs
Brian W. Brennan, Natalie Stavas and Philip Scribano
13. Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms linking ACEs with Psychopathology 
Margaret A. Sheridan and Katie McLaughlin
14. ACEs and Resilience: Methodological and conceptual issues
Assaf Oshri, Erinn K. Duprey, Sihong Liu and Andrea Gonzalez
15. ACEs and Trauma-Informed Care
Caroline C. Piotrowski
16. Safe, Stable, and Nurturing Environments for Children
Melissa Merrick, Katie A. Ports, Angie S. Guinn and Derek C. Ford
17. Current Knowledge and Future Directions for the ACEs Field
Tracie O. Afifi and Gordon J.G. Asmundson