Childhood Trauma Test
A confidential self-assessment built on the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study, extended with a community-adversity scale and a resilience score most tests leave out. Get an instant, plain-language result and a professional PDF report you can keep or bring to a therapist.
Childhood Trauma Test is a free, confidential 25-question self-assessment, based on the validated ACE study. It takes about 5 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 4 interpretation bands plus a downloadable PDF report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Three lenses on early adversity, not just a single number
Most childhood trauma quizzes give you one count and a vague label. This assessment looks at three things together, because the research is clear that adversity and protection both shape how early experiences affect adult health.
Core ACE score
The 10 original Adverse Childhood Experiences from the CDC–Kaiser study: abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction before age 18. The score the research is built on.
Expanded adversity
Community and environmental adversity the original study missed: bullying, discrimination, neighborhood violence, and housing or food insecurity.
Resilience & protection
The supports that buffer adversity: a caring adult, safe relationships, belonging. Research shows these change outcomes, yet almost no online test measures them. We do.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Validated ACE-10 questions | Sometimes | Yes, faithful wording |
| Expanded community adversity | No | Yes (7 items) |
| Resilience / protective factors | No | Yes (8 items) |
| Category breakdown | No | Abuse / neglect / household / community |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Downloadable PDF report | No | Yes, branded & shareable |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–10 in total. Your result falls into one of 4 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–0 | No adverse experiences reported | You didn't report any of the ten core adverse experiences. That is genuinely good news for this measure. The sections below still offer useful context. |
| 1–3 | Some early adversity | You reported one to three core adverse experiences. Many people fall here. It is worth understanding, and very workable with support. |
| 4–6 | High adversity | You reported four to six core adverse experiences. In the research, four or more is the point where risk rises more noticeably, so this is worth taking seriously and gently. |
| 7–10 | Very high adversity | You reported seven or more core adverse experiences. That reflects a heavy load to have carried, often before you had any say in it. Support can make a real difference. |
Methodology & sources
The core 10 questions reproduce the Adverse Childhood Experiences items from the original CDC–Kaiser Permanente ACE Study (Felitti et al., 1998), worded to stay faithful to the validated instrument while being trauma-informed and readable. The expanded section draws on the Philadelphia Expanded ACE Survey, which added community-level adversity such as discrimination, witnessing violence, and unsafe neighborhoods. The resilience section is adapted from widely used protective-factor questionnaires.
This test is provided for education and self-reflection. It is deliberately conservative in interpretation, presents risk as population-level rather than individual, and always pairs adversity with resilience because the evidence shows protective factors change outcomes.
References
- Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14(4):245–258.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Adverse Childhood Experiences. CDC Violence Prevention.
- Cronholm PF, Forke CM, Wade R, et al. Adverse Childhood Experiences: Expanding the Concept of Adversity. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49(3):354–361.
- Bethell CD, Newacheck P, Hawes E, Halfon N. Adverse childhood experiences: assessing the impact on health and school engagement and the mitigating role of resilience. Health Aff. 2014;33(12):2106–2115.
Childhood Trauma Test FAQ
What is a childhood trauma (ACE) test?
It is a short, research-based screening that counts the types of adverse experiences you had before age 18, across abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. A higher score is linked to greater risk for some health and mental-health challenges, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
What counts as a high ACE score?
In the original research, a score of 4 or more was the point where risk for several conditions rose more sharply across the population studied. A high score does not mean any particular outcome will happen to you, and resilience and support meaningfully shift the picture.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is for education and self-reflection only. Only a licensed clinician can assess trauma or any related condition. If your results concern you, consider talking with a trauma-informed therapist.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server, never stored, and never linked to you. No account is needed, and the optional PDF is generated on your own device.
Can a high score be changed?
Your ACE score reflects the past and does not change, but its influence on your life can. Therapy, supportive relationships, and building resilience are all associated with better outcomes, even for people with high scores.
Related tests
Adjustment Disorder Test
Based on the validated ADNM-8, measuring how you are coping with a stressful life event.
Complex PTSD Test (C-PTSD)
Informed by the validated ITQ, the standard measure of ICD-11 complex PTSD, with a PTSD vs DSO breakdown.
PTSD Test (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Based on the validated PC-PTSD-5 screener, with an instant result and a shareable PDF.