The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health Problems: Evidence from Four Birth Cohorts Dating Back to 1900

We examined the relationship of the number of adverse childhood experiences (ACE score) to six health problems among four successive birth cohorts dating back to 1900 to assess the strength and consistency of these relationships in face of secular influences the 20th century brought in changing health behaviors and conditions. We hypothesized that the ACE score/health problem relationship would be relatively "immune" to secular influences, in support of recent studies documenting the negative neurobiologic effects of childhood stressors on the developing brain.