D'Arienzo Psychology Blog

What Are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?

Posted by: Dr. Justin D'Arienzo, Psy.D., ABPP

I (Dr. D’Arienzo) was recently involved as a defense expert (Forensic Psychologist) in a U.S. Military case regarding mitigation for a court-martial sentencing hearing. I assisted the defense by testifying about how the accussed had been impacted by a series of ACEs that created a chronic stress condition which impacted his decision making as a young adult. At the same time, I also explored how some of these experiences, with the right future environment, also led to resilient character traits that improved his rehabilitative potential. Generally, we know from the literature that having four or more ACEs is associated with deleterious mental and physical problems, criminalistic behaviors, as well as a shortend lifespan; while at the same time, for some people, these experiences lead to a toughing that is not always negative. The most commonnly researched Adverse Childhood Experiences are:

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