What was your childhood like?

Lots of research showed that our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and overall health are rooted in our childhood experiences. Serious childhood stressors that disrupt our sense of safety and stability have been associated with poorer wellbeing later in life. However, happy and enriching experiences in childhood also work as an antidote that protects us against the negative impacts of childhood adversities.  

This screener helps you gain insight on how your childhood may have shaped who you are today. After completing this screener, you will receive two separate scores, each indicating the total number of negative or positive experiences you had in your childhood. These scores are known as Adverse and Benevolent Childhood Experiences (ACE, BCE) scores. A higher number suggests you have been exposed to more of those experiences.

Before you begin, it is important to remember that our childhood experiences are only a part of our life history, and do not determine who we are or who we will become. Some of the questions in this screener may be sensitive or difficult to answer. Please complete these questions in a private and comfortable environment. If you feel any distress while answering the questions, please take a break, or stop and try again at a later time.

This screening is completely anonymous and there is no way to link your results back to you.

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When you were growing up, during the first 18 years of your life:
0 Never
1 Rarely
2 Sometimes
3 Most of the time
4 Always
1. Relationship with parents/guardians 0 1 2 3 4
(1.1)
Did your parents/guardians understand your problems and worries?
 0 Never 1 Rarely 2 Sometimes 3 Most of the time 4 Always
(1.2)
Did your parents/guardians really know what you were doing with your free time when you were not at school or work?
 0 Never 1 Rarely 2 Sometimes 3 Most of the time 4 Always
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0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
2. Neglection 0 1 2 3
(2.1)
How often did your parents/guardians not give you enough food even when they could easily have done so?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(2.2)
Were your parents/guardians too drunk or intoxicated by drugs to take care of you?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(2.3)
How often did your parents/guardians not send you to school even when it was available?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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0 Yes
1 No
3. Family environment Yes No
(3.1)
Did you live with a household member who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or misused street or prescription drugs?
 Yes No
(3.2)
Did you live with a household member who was depressed, mentally ill or suicidal?
 Yes No
(3.3)
Did you live with a household member who was ever sent to jail or prison?
 Yes No
(3.4)
Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
 Yes No
(3.5)
Did your mother, father or guardian die?
 Yes No
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These next questions are about certain things you may actually have heard or seen IN YOUR HOME. These are things that may have been done to another household member but not necessarily to you. 
0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(3.6)
Did you see or hear a parent or household member in your home being yelled at, screamed at, sworn at, insulted or humiliated?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(3.7)
Did you see or hear a parent or household member in your home being slapped, kicked, punched or beaten up?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(3.8)
Did you see or hear a parent or household member in your home being hit or cut with an object, such as a stick (or cane), bottle, club, knife, whip etc.?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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These next questions are about certain things YOU may have experienced.
0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(4.1)
Did a parent, guardian or other household member yell, scream or swear at you, insult or humiliate you?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.2)
Did a parent, guardian or other household member threaten to, or actually, abandon you or throw you out of the house?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.3)
Did a parent, guardian or other household member spank, slap, kick, punch or beat you up?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.4)
Did a parent, guardian or other household member hit or cut you with an object, such as a stick (or cane), bottle, club, knife, whip etc?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(4.5)
Did someone touch or fondle you in a sexual way when you did not want them to?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.6)
Did someone make you touch their body in a sexual way when you did not want them to?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.7)
Did someone attempt oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you when you did not want them to?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(4.8)
Did someone actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you when you did not want them to?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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5. Peer violence

These next questions are about BEING BULLIED when you were growing up. Bullying is when a young person or group of young people say or do bad and unpleasant things to another young person. It is also bullying when a young person is teased a lot in an unpleasant way or when a young person is left out of things on purpose. It is not bullying when two young people of about the same strength or power argue or fight or when teasing is done in a friendly and fun way.
0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(5.1)
How often were you bullied?
0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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6. Witnessing community violence

These next questions are about how often, when you were a child, YOU may have seen or heard certain things in your NEIGHBOURHOOD OR COMMUNITY (not in your home or on TV, movies, or the radio).
0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(6.1)
Did you see or hear someone being beaten up in real life?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(6.2)
Did you see or hear someone being stabbed or shot in real life?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(6.3)
Did you see or hear someone being threatened with a knife or gun in real life?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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7. Exposure to war/collective violence

These questions are about whether YOU did or did not experience any of the following events when you were a child. The events are all to do with collective violence, including wars, terrorism, political or ethnic conflicts, genocide, repression, disappearances, torture and organized violent crime such as banditry and gang warfare.
0 Never
1 Once
2 A few times
3 Many times
0 1 2 3
(7.1)
Were you forced to go and live in another place due to any of these events?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(7.2)
Did you experience the deliberate destruction of your home due to any of these events?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(7.3)
Were you beaten up by soldiers, police, militia, or gangs?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
(7.4)
Was a family member or friend killed or beaten up by soldiers, police, militia, or gangs?
 0 Never 1 Once 2 A few times 3 Many times
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