CDC releases new data on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) Among High School Students

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new supplemental data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, exploring Adverse Childhood experiences (ACE’s) among high school students.

According to CDC, 17% of U.S. adults have experienced four or more ACEs, which refers to a score of preventable, potentially traumatic events occurring before age 18 that are linked to negative health outcomes later in life. Despite growing evidence on the impacts of ACEs throughout adulthood, few studies examine the role of ACEs in child and adolescent health. In the few reports that do exist, most rely on parental reporting rather than getting first-hand accounts from adolescents about their own experiences. In its supplemental report, CDC presented the first report on lifetime national prevalence of self-reported ACEs among U.S. high school students, to help inform Policymakers and public health professionals as they work to understand and prevent ACEs and increase health equity. 

Below is a high-level summary of the findings. To read the full report, click here.

• The most common ACEs were emotional abuse (61.5%), physical abuse (31.8%) and household poor mental health (28.4%)
• ALL ACEs, except physical neglect, were more common among female students compared to male students, with additional unique patterns depending on students’ racial and ethnic identities.
• Students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning experienced higher prevalence of all ACEs except physical neglect. 
  • As is common in survey-style reports, little data exists on transgender and non-binary students: a gap that many researchers and advocates continue to change. 

How are high-school students scoring? 

• Three in four students surveyed experienced at least one ACE, and nearly one in five experienced four or more ACEs.
  • Female, Alaskan Indian/ Alaskan Native, multiracial and LGBTQ+ students were most likely to experience four or more ACEs. 
  • Bisexual students and Alaskan Indian/ Alaskan Native also had the highest prevalence of experiencing zero ACEs. 

Impact of ACEs among high-school students

• Students who experienced one or two ACEs are at a significantly higher risk of developing a negative health outcome, like the risk of injury, obesity, sexual and intimate partner violence victimization, toxic stress, economic insecurity, depression, and harmful health conditions.
• Students who experienced four or more ACEs were strongly associated with attempted suicide, suicide ideation, and opioid misuse. 

Findings from this supplemental study support the notion that preventing ACEs and creating safe and protective conditions for youth is an important public health goal, and has a wide-ranging positive impact on people’s lives. Along with the supplemental data, CDC is uplifting its Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Resources for Action document, which outlines approaches, examples and evidence to support programs, policies and practices that improve health and wellbeing among youth and marginalized communities.