The science behind PACEs

We believe that ACEs are not destiny. With the right protective experiences and support, people can build resilience and break cycles of adversity across generations.

Where it comes from

Our work is rooted in the Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Adversity (CIRCA), an NIH-funded research center.

The reflections

Current PACEs (C-PACEs)

Ten statements about the last 12 months, rated from never to very often.

Traditional PACEs (T-PACEs)

Ten yes-or-no questions about life before age 18.

These are reflection tools, not diagnostic tests.

Take a reflection

The researchers

Jennifer Hays-Grudo, PhD

Regents Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Director of CIRCA, an NIH-funded center. Co-author of Adverse and Protective Childhood Experiences: A Developmental Perspective (APA Press). Founding Editor-in-Chief of Adversity and Resilience Science.

Amanda Sheffield Morris, PhD

George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair and Regents Professor. Principal Investigator on the NIH-funded HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. Co-author of Adverse and Protective Childhood Experiences (APA Press).

Publications

Hays-Grudo, J., & Morris, A. S. Adverse and Protective Childhood Experiences: A Developmental Perspective. American Psychological Association (APA Press), 2020.
Morris, A. S., Hays-Grudo, J., Kerber, R., Williamson, A., Treat, A., & Staton, W. The Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACEs) Survey: Psychometric Properties and Initial Validation. Adversity and Resilience Science, 2021.