Table 1.

Definitions of adverse childhood experience (ACE) types

Type of ACE	Definition
Sexual abuse	Defined by the occurrence of sexual touching or fondling, attempted intercourse, or actual intercourse by any adult or other person when the child did not want the act to occur or was too young to understand what was happening
Physical abuse	Defined by the occurrence of a parent or other adult who pushed, grabbed, shoved, slapped, or hit the child; or hit the child so hard it left marks or bruises, or caused an injury
Emotional abuse	Defined by the occurrence of a parent or other adult who swore at, insulted, or said hurtful things to the child; or threatened to hit or throw something at the child (but did not do it); or acted in any other way that made the child afraid he/she would be physically hurt or injured
Physical neglect	Defined as the child being left unsupervised when too young to care for themselves or going without needed clothing, school supplies, food, or medical treatment
Emotional neglect	Defined as the child not feeling part of a close-knit family or there being no one in the child’s family of origin who made the child feel special, wanted the child to succeed, believed in the child, or provided strength and support
Household dysfunction	Defined by the presence of life stressors, such as parental divorce, drug use by parents, psychiatric problems of parents, financial problems