Future Applications of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Research

Abstract

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study demonstrated a link between early trauma and various aspects of adult health. Despite the proven benefits of exploring and integrating ACEs in clinical practice, the medical community has been slow to incorporate them. This prevents us from truly understanding and addressing public health issues such as smoking, obesity, and drug abuse. In recent years, however, adult primary care medicine is slowly moving away from a biomedical approach and adopting a biopsychosocial perspective. This is essential for the development of appropriate treatment and prevention programs.