The lasting effects of childhood trauma

hildhood trauma, which is also called adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can have lasting detrimental effects on individuals as they grow and mature into adulthood. ACEs may occur in children age 18 years if they experience abuse or neglect, violence, or other traumatic losses. More than 60% of people experience at least 1 ACE, and 1 in 6 individuals reported that they had experienced 4 ACEs. 1 Subsequent additional ACEs have a cumulative deteriorating impact on the brain. This predisposes individuals to mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and other psychosocial problems. The efficacy of current therapeutic approaches provides only partial symptom resolution. For such individuals, the illness load and health care costs typically remain high across the lifespan. n this article, we discuss types of ACEs, protective factors and risk factors that influence the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals who experience ACEs, how ACEs can negatively impact mental health in adulthood, and approaches to prevent or treat PTSD and other symptoms.