Adverse childhood experiences as context for youth assessment and diagnosis

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) should be considered as context for assessment and diagnosis of depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems for youth aged 0-18. The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study, using the public data set from the 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health, which represented 52,000 households of a nationally representative sample of children ages 0-17. The parent/caregiver participants reported their children aged 0-5 had higher odds than children aged 6-11 and 12-17 of a one-unit increase in ACEs, resulting in anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems. Professional counselors can use the results as a basis to consider ACEs-informed assessment and diagnosis practices when working with youth who present with mental health or behavior problems.