ACE Score Calculator
What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are difficult events that occur before the age of 18. They include different forms of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.
Research has shown that these experiences can have a significant impact on physical and emotional health throughout life. But understanding your story is the first step toward transforming it.
This questionnaire is not a diagnosis. It is a personal reflection tool that invites you to look at your story with compassion, not judgment.
Why is it important to know your ACE score?
- It helps you understand how your early experiences may be influencing your life today
- It makes visible patterns that are often normalized or minimized
- It is a starting point for conversations with a mental health professional
- In narrative therapy, we believe that understanding your story empowers you to rewrite it
Before you begin
This questionnaire includes questions about difficult childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect, and family violence. It is normal for some questions to bring up intense emotions. You can take your time, pause, or stop at any moment. There is no pressure. Your wellbeing comes first.
Before your 18th birthday...
1 Did a parent or other adult in the household often swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? Or act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
Your result
Your story does not define you
A high ACE score does not determine your destiny. Many people with high scores lead full, healthy lives. Resilience can be cultivated at any age, and therapy is a powerful way to do so. In narrative therapy, we believe it is always possible to rewrite your story.
This questionnaire is a reflection tool, not a clinical diagnosis. Only a mental health professional can assess the impact of these experiences on your life. If you feel you need support, don't hesitate to reach out.
Support resources
If you are going through a crisis or need to talk to someone now:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US)
988 / findahelpline.com
Available in multiple countries and languages
Would you like to talk about what you're feeling?
Understanding your story is the first step. If something in this questionnaire moved you, I'm here to walk alongside you in a safe, warm, judgment-free space. In narrative therapy, we work together to give new meaning to your story.