10 ACE’s Adverse Childhood Experiences

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is defined as emotional or psychological injury to the child as evidenced by a substantial change in behavior, emotional response or anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or aggressive behavior.

Emotional Neglect

Emotional Neglect is defined as the failure of a parent to provide needed emotional attention, recognition, love, and emphatic response such that the child’s emotional health and development are threatened with harm.

Child Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is generally defined as any non-accidental injury to the child including striking, kicking, or biting the child, or any action that results in a physical impairment or harms the child’s health and welfare.

Physical Neglect

Physical Neglect is defined as the failure of a parent or other person with responsibility for the child to provide needed food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, or supervision such that the child’s health, safety, and well-being are threatened with harm.

Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as any act of a sexual nature which uses the child or the sexual gratification of the adult, including rape, molestation, prostitution, pornography or other form of sexual exploitation of children.

Drug Addicted or Alcoholic Family Member

Drug and alcoholic addiction of parents can negatively impact a child’s sense of safety, predictability, stability, normalcy, connectedness and attachment.

Incarceration of a Family Member

The experience of having any family member in jail can create substantial emotional issues, such as grief and loss, stigmatization, anxiety and depression.

Loss of a Parent to Death or Abandonment

Loss of a parent is the discontinuation of contact with a parent due to death, divorce, or abandonment. In some situations, this loss may lead to depression, anxiety or unresolved grief.

Mentally Ill, Depressed, or Suicidal Family Member

Growing up in a family dealing with mental health issues can cause confusion, fear, anxiety, stress, lack of attention, and concern regarding the child’s own emotional health.

Witnessing Domestic Violence Against Mother

Witnessing family violence creates significant emotional and psychological damage due to the high stress experienced by the child.

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Paper Tigers: The Heart of the Matter (Reflection questions)

After the movie, please elaborate on these. Type and turn in.. (30 points)

  1. Where can kids go to feel safe?
  2. What are the guidelines and how these are communicated?
  3. How do we come together when expectations are not met; how do we say, “I’m sorry?”
  4. How do we celebrate their successes?
  5. How and where do we share our feelings towards others?
  6. What are your reflective thoughts about children with adversity? How can you relate or not relate to some of the stories in “Paper Tigers”?