Adverse Childhood Experiences Scores: When Social Work Students and Trauma Mix

Abstract

This study compares the presence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores among social work students with other majors and predicts the likelihood of majoring in social work. Results from a Midwestern, 4-year university indicate that on average, social work students (n=81) are more likely to have higher ACE scores in all assessed items compared to students of other university majors (n=269). Findings from the logistic regression analyses suggest that students who report at least one category of adversity were more likely to major in social work compared to other university majors. Using the person-in-environment perspective lens, these findings may account for gravitation of some students toward social work as a major. Resulting implications to baccalaureate social work programs concerning curriculum, trauma awareness, and resiliency training of students are discussed.