Childhood Trauma in Women

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Adult meta: 65.4% ≥1 ACE; 17.5% ≥4 ACEs
Is it more common among women? Higher cumulative ACE prevalence than men; childhood sexual abuse particularly higher
Are women at higher risk? #N/A
How much higher is the risk? ≥4 ACEs 17.5% vs 14.3% men; WHO: about 1 in 5 women report childhood sexual abuse
How often can it be missed? #N/A
Does it show up differently among women? Yes
How might it look different? Shame, self-worth, relationships, body/sexual safety and caregiving patterns may be prominent depending on trauma type
What commonly occurs alongside it? #N/A
What can it be confused with? PTSD/CPTSD vs trauma exposure without disorder; BPD; depression; attachment difficulties
Common screening tool ACE Questionnaire — Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire
Separate screening tool for women CTQ-SF can characterize abuse/neglect types

Most often taken Self-Assessments

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