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Taylor Heckman

Professor Leonard

ENG 1201.513

26 April 2020

Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma

It had been a few short weeks into my internship with a social worker for a school

district. We were participating in an after-school program at two different elementary schools

when I realized that there is a tremendous number of children who are experiencing childhood

trauma. These children were just third through fifth graders and were telling me stories that were

so heartbreaking to hear especially coming from a child. They would talk about how they have

not seen their mom or dad in long periods or tell me that their parents were in prison. It made me

curious about the long-term effects that this trauma could cause for them later in life. It is unclear

if the parents or guardians of the children are aware of the trauma being caused and long-term

effects of that trauma that these kids could later experience. Trauma experiences are more than

just physical abuse and sexual abuse. Those are the common things that are thought of when

childhood trauma is brought up and when thinking about what might cause this childhood

trauma. However, other things that are being experienced and I realized this during my

internship. For example, listening to parents argue and seeing or hearing their parents or

guardians do things they should not be doing around their children that are illegal also leads to

childhood trauma. It can also lead to a reaction from these children throughout their life. I would

hear so many stories from children that would make me want to burst into tears because it hurt to

hear that children have to live these horrific lives outside of school during a time in their life

where they should be having the most fun. They are just kids and school is their happy place
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away from chaos. Not only did they get away from their home lives, but they were guaranteed

food. It is crazy how many students rely on school breakfast and lunches because they do not

have much food at home. During the first fifteen minutes of the after-school program, the

students would get a snack and drink. It was limited to one unless they asked then of course we

would not deny them more. Another intern and I saw a girl try and sneak an extra snack in her

bookbag without asking because she wanted to make sure that she had something to eat at home.

She snuck the item because of the fear of rejection. This internship made me realize that there is

way more children who are struggling in the school system than you may think or at least than I

thought. There was a tremendous number of children considered to be “homeless” due to not

having a temporary form of housing and moving from house to house or even living out of

hotels. The list for long-term effects when a person has experienced childhood trauma is

uncountable. These long-term effects can affect a person’s physical health, mental health,

cognition, emotional effects, etc.

Adverse childhood experiences also known as childhood trauma have been being

studied for many years. In 1922, a man named Freud suggested there should be a breach of the

protective psychic shield in one of two ways, one violent event or an accumulation of

excitations constitutes trauma (Clauber). The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention) and Kaiser Permanente had worked together in nineteen fifty until nineteen

seventy to perform a study that was able to figure out the amount of people who have been

through childhood trauma or adverse childhood experiences also called ACES. They did this

study based off seventeen-thousand peoples results. They were able to get a better picture of

the amount of people who have grew up around adverse childhood experiences. They also

were able to get a bigger picture of the symptoms, and effects (Frawley-O’Dea). Physical and
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sexual abuse have become more familiar and recognized more than people want to believe

since the nineteen seventies (Clauber). It is heartbreaking that physical and sexual abuse are

becoming more aware and happening more when it should be slowly going away. Childhood

trauma has become a global problem (Xie, Peng, et al.). In the past two decades, there has

been a lot of information being figured out within the long-term effects of childhood trauma

(Frawley-O’Dea). These effects are countless and effect people in many ways.

Childhood trauma seems to be overlooked and people do not realize how effective it

can be on children especially when it comes to those long-term effects as they get older.

Children do not forget everything about their childhood and sadly these adverse childhood

experiences are memories that are always going to haunt them. The World Health

Organization did a survey and figured out that many of our population has at some point

experienced adverse childhood experiences. Analyses also advocate that childhood adversity

could be accountable for mental disorders in almost thirty percent of patients and the effects

can maintain throughout the patient’s entire life (Xie, Peng, et al.). “A recent study found that

almost seventy six percent of adults reporting child physical abuse and neglect have been

diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder in their lifetime and nearly fifty percent have

been diagnosed with three or more psychiatric disorders” (“Impacts: What are the impacts of

child abuse and childhood trauma”). It is horrifying to hear that many people have not only

been neglected but majority of them also must live with experiencing other things because of

the trauma like psychiatric disorders. The CDC and Kaiser Permanente’s study helped them

come up with data that tells us based off the 2014 Census, almost one hundred and sixty

million adults eighteen and older have a history of ACES, Adverse Childhood Experiences.

These people who have experienced ACES seem to be on multiple medications and tend to
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take advantage of health systems more likely than those who did not experience high amounts

of adverse childhood experiences (Frawley-O’Dea). People known to have experienced

childhood trauma usually have multiple effects or diagnoses and are more likely to make

doctor visits for problems regarding physical health (“Impacts: What are the impacts of child

abuse and childhood trauma”). But what are the rest of these long-term effects of these

experiences of childhood trauma?

Brain development has been found to be one of these long-term effects which then

effects other systems within the body. It also effects the brain in a chemical way which can

cause stress hormones to slowly release. If the level of stress hormones gets too high, it can

then cause inflammation. Having high stress levels can negatively change the levels of

activation within the brain as well. The brain development can drastically affect a person’s

physical health. Survivors of child abuse have a higher risk of getting illnesses, being

hospitalized, and getting surgeries (“Impacts: What are the impacts of child abuse and

childhood trauma”). If a person has experienced childhood trauma, they are more likely to end

up with an immune disorder, cardiovascular disease, or even cancer (Cloitre, Beck). Early

childhood trauma is also correlated with problems like higher blood pressure rates, diseases

resulting in chronic pain, migraines, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), obesity, and sleep

disorders (Frawley-O’Dea).

Cognitive function is affected by childhood trauma experiences (“Impacts: What are the

impacts of child abuse and childhood trauma”). It is often hard for childhood trauma survivors

to put their reality into words about the trauma that they have faced or are facing at a young

age (Frawley-O’Dea). Cognitive function from trauma survivors interrupts the connection

between the left and right brain which should be working together. When the activation levels
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of the brain are rapidly changing it can affect someone’s thinking, concentration, focus, and

even memory (“Impacts: What are the impacts of child abuse and childhood trauma”).

Attention deficits are common in adverse childhood experience survivors. They could be

speaking confidently and intelligently but one slight trigger could cause them to not know

how to continue along as strongly as they previously were. Throughout time, we have now

found a way to view stress level changes by something called a PET scan that shows different

areas of the brain while lightening and darkening to show when the stress levels of the person

being tested changes. It has been found to show differently in survivors of adverse childhood

experience than people who have not experienced childhood trauma. This is how it was

proved that trauma effects the neurobiology system in the brain (Frawley-O’Dea).

Analyses also have suggested that childhood trauma could possibly be accountable for

mental disorders in almost thirty percent of patients and the effects can maintain throughout

the patient’s entire life (Xie, Peng, et al.). Growing up around unsafe situations or

environments can often lead to depression or anxiety. Coping mechanisms for things like

depression and anxiety often can be managed with the use of substances. These substances

can help temporarily numb those feelings of anxiety or depression (“Impacts: What are the

impacts of child abuse and childhood trauma”). However, the substances will not numb the

pain forever and who knows how the substances could be affecting their overall physical

health as well. Ninety percent of people who reach out for help through public mental health

services have been associated in situations of sexual, physical, or psychological trauma.

Researchers have also found that depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, and personality

orders are a higher risk when someone has experienced childhood trauma and abuse

(“Impacts: What are the impacts of child abuse and childhood trauma”).
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Suicide is also known to be one of the leading causes of death throughout the world

leading to eight hundred thousand deaths a year (Xie, Peng, et al.). Higher rates of suicidality

are a common effect of childhood trauma (Cloitre, Beck). Studies have found that bipolar

disorders in patients who have been associated in events that caused childhood trauma are

more likely to attempt suicide. It also was found that multiple attempts were likely.

Statistics that were found from a prison found that the people without mental disorders

are less likely to commit suicide than the ones with mental disorders. In China, they studied

and investigated the effects of childhood trauma. They did this based off results from people

with mental disorders and people who did not have any mental disorders. Out of the six

hundred seventy nine people that were eligible to participate in this study, two hundred and

twenty nine of them had depression, one hundred and two of them had been diagnosed with

bipolar disorder, and one hundred and thirty two did not have any mental disorders. They used

a questionnaire system called Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) (Xie, Peng, et al.).

“The CTQ-SF includes five response options, ranging from 1 (never true) to 5 (very often

true). The CTQ-SF includes five subscales: physical abuse (PA), emotional abuse (EA), sexual

abuse (SA), physical neglect (PN), and emotional neglect (EN)” (Xie, Peng, et al.).

Table 2. Prevalence of childhood trauma and number of trauma types.

Depression (n = Bipolar disorder Schizophrenia (n =
Control (n = 132)
229) (n = 102) 216)
Variables
95% 95%
N % N % 95% CI N % 95% CI N %
CI CI
CTQ-SF
scores
17. (12.0– (15.0– (14.0– (0.0–
EA ≥ 13 39 24 23.5 42 19.4 3 2.3
0 22.0) 32.0) 25.0) 5.0)
11. (8.0– (8.0– (7.0– 11. (6.0–
PA ≥ 10 27 15 14.7 24 11.1 15
8 16.0) 22.0) 15.0) 4 17.0)
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Depression (n = Bipolar disorder Schizophrenia (n =

Control (n = 132)
229) (n = 102) 216)
Variables
95% 95%
N % N % 95% CI N % 95% CI N %
CI CI
10. (6.0– (8.0– (9.0– (1.0–
SA ≥ 8 24 15 14.7 30 13.9 6 4.5
5 14.0) 22.0) 19.0) 8.0)
42. (36.0– (26.0– (14.0– (0.0–
EN ≥ 15 97 36 35.3 42 19.4 3 2.3
4 49.0) 45.0) 25.0) 5.0)
38. (32.0– (34.0– (32.0– (2.0–
PN ≥ 10 88 45 44.1 84 38.9 9 6.8
4 45.0) 54.0) 45.0) 11.0)
CTQ-SF total 26. (20.0– (23.0– (17.0– (0.0–
60 33 32.4 48 22.2 3 2.3
≥ 50 2 32.0) 42.0) 28.0) 5.0)
Number of
trauma types
44. (38.0– (29.0– (46.0– 79. (73.0–
No trauma 102 39 38.2 114 52.8 105
5 51.0) 48.0) 59.0) 5 87.0)
1 type of 18. (13.0– (15.0– (12.0– 18. (12.0–
42 24 23.5 36 16.7 24
trauma 3 23.0) 32.0) 22.0) 2 25.0)
2 types of 20. (15.0– (8.0– (9.0– (0.0–
46 15 14.7 30 13.9 3 2.3
traumas 1 25.0) 22.0) 19.0) 5.0)
3 types of (3.0– (8.0– (5.0–
15 6.6 15 14.7 18 8.3 0 0.0 –
traumas 10.0) 22.0) 12.0)
4 types of 10. (6.0– (3.0– (5.0–
24 9 8.8 18 8.3 0 0.0 –
traumas 5 14.0) 14.0) 12.0)
5 types of
0 0.0 – 0 0.0 – 0 0.0 – 0 0.0 –
traumas
CTQ-SF: Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form, EA: emotional abuse, PA: physical

abuse, SA: sexual abuse, EN: emotional neglect, PN: physical neglect, CI: confidence interval.

(Xie, Peng, et al.).

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Fig. 1. Prevalence of childhood trauma. CTQ-SF: Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form,

EA: emotional abuse, PA: physical abuse, SA: sexual abuse, EN: emotional neglect, PN:

physical neglect. (Xie, Peng, et al.).

In the chart and table above, they show the results. In the table, they break down the

CTQ-SF scores and show them based on the number of trauma types that the people have

experienced. In the chart, they had them in four groups based on if they had depression,

bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or no disorders at all and used a prevalence rate based off a

percentage scale. The people who had depression, majority of them experienced trauma from

emotional neglect and physical neglect. For those with a bipolar disorder, they were neglect,

and this was the same for those experiencing schizophrenia. Those in the “control” group or

those with no disorders, physical abuse was a common trauma type (Xie, Peng, et al.). It is

clear that different types of abuse can cause certain effects than others will. Overall, in all the

patient groups that were studied physical abuse and emotional abuse are two of the most

common trauma types. Emotional abuse and sexual abuse were the least documented during

this study (Xie, Peng, et al.).

Behavior is something that is the first thing that you would think a person would notice

and make someone curious as to why a person may be acting the way that they are. Behavior

can change dramatically for people who have experienced childhood trauma. Some children

grow up living in fear because of the experiences and memories they have had to live with.

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder that can be caused from

childhood trauma effects the behavior. Once children are in school or get to school, they tend to

be truant in school and develop anger and showing that aggression due to not being able to

control it (“What are the impacts of child abuse and childhood trauma”). People may show this
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aggression by behaving brutally, usually during the child or adolescent years of their life. For

example, they may maltreat animals or other children (Clauber). People that have experienced

being maltreated as a child often are involved with situations of violence once they reach

adulthood (Cloitre, Beck).

Emotional affects within a person can be slightly affected causing a person’s ability to

see a true situation of danger to be slightly damaged which can lead to the confusion of the

people around them and situations that they are a part of. Adverse childhood experience

survivors do enjoy the attention from others and are known to be needy but also expect the

worst when it comes to asking for help or relationships. These survivors sometimes will think

that they are the blame and the reason for the trauma that they have experienced. This often

leads to self-harm, putting themselves in dangerous situations, or substance abuse (Frawley-

O'Dea).

Spirituality can also be affected by the experience of childhood trauma. Mary Gail

Frawley-O'Dea says in her article, “Childhood abuse and neglect take their toll” that “Research

indicates that many adverse childhood experience survivors turn away from religion and even

from God” (Frawley-O'Dea). The article, “What are the impacts of child abuse and childhood

trauma” also says, “Many survivors believe that people and life are not trustworthy or ‘just’, and

that life is worth very little. Being abused in faith-based communities can particularly tarnish

concepts of God and create additional confusion” (“Impacts: What are the impacts of child

abuse and childhood trauma”). A person’s beliefs may not be the norm but they do not realize

that due to growing up living that way.

There is no cure for the effects of childhood trauma other than to prevent or stop the

abuse, neglect, and maltreatment of children that is causing these effects. This can be prevented
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by programs that show people how to see early signs of abuse, neglect, or maltreatment. The

World Health Organization has many programs to educate those who see kids the most. For

example, doctors, parents, teachers, and mental health professionals. These programs educate

them on how to notice risk factors or warning signs that can prevent the child from either

being abused, neglected, or maltreated or to stop it before it is too late (Cloitre, Beck).

People may argue that these effects must be caused from something else because it

does sound odd to think about some of the things that can lead from childhood trauma like

cancer or irritable bowel syndrome. However, if you further investigate the causes of irritable

bowel syndrome or some of the other effects of childhood trauma like anxiety, you will find

that they can cause symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. It is all connected in some way.

People who have experienced childhood trauma are some of the strongest people in

this world even if they do not feel like it or if it does not seem that way. It is a reality that we

must face and do something as a country and even worldwide to try and fix from these horrific

experiences happening. Sadly, it will never be a world where there is no abuse, neglect or

maltreatment but there is hope that the rates can go down. We all know the saying “You

should never judge a book by its cover”. This is significantly true especially when thinking

about how many people have experienced childhood trauma and are survivors of adverse

childhood experiences. We all judge people based on their actions or things that they may say

but we should be more cautious of this. You never know what a person might be going

through in the moment or has gone through in the past. People who have experienced

childhood trauma are not going to always be willing to tell someone what they have or are

going through. The list for long-term effects when it comes to childhood trauma is

tremendous and effects a person’s overall well-being and health. Stopping and thinking before
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reacting could help save someone from disorders, diseases, etc. It could even help save their

life overall.
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Works Cited

“Impacts of Childhood Trauma and Abuse.” Blue Knot Foundation, Health Direct Australia,

Head to Health, 2020, www.blueknot.org.au/Resources/Information/Impacts-and-

healing/Impacts. Accessed 12 Apr. 2020.

Clauber, Trudy. "Trauma in Children." The Edinburgh International Encyclopaedia of

Psychoanalysis, Ross Skelton, Edinburgh University Press, 1st edition, 2006. Credo

Reference, http://sinclair.ohionet.org/login?

url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/edinburghpsychoa/trauma_in_childre

n/0?institutionId=6043. Accessed 12 Apr. 2020.

Cloitre, Marylene, and J.Gayle Beck. “Introduction for the Special Issue: The Long-Term Effects

of Childhood Adversity and Trauma.” Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice, vol. 24,

no. 2, June 2017, pp. 107–110. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/cpsp.12199. Accessed 12 Apr.

2020.

Frawley-O’Dea, Mary Gail. “Childhood Abuse and Neglect Take Their Toll.” National Catholic

Reporter, vol. 52, no. 15, 6 May 2016, pp. 5–

8. EBSCOhost, sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?

url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=a9h&AN=115255309&site=ehost-live. Accessed 12 Apr. 2020.

Xie, Peng, et al. “Prevalence of Childhood Trauma and Correlations between Childhood Trauma,

Suicidal Ideation, and Social Support in Patients with Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and

Schizophrenia in Southern China.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 228, Mar. 2018,

pp. 41–48. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.011. Accessed 12 Apr. 2020.

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