Childhood Trauma Test — Free Quiz: How Has Your Childhood Affected You as an Adult?
How has your childhood affected you? Test the pattern in 3 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Clinically reviewed by Ms. Suhita Saha, MPhil Clinical Psychology, MA Psychology. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.
Important safety information
The CHILDAFF includes a question about thoughts of self-harm (question 9). If you have had any such thoughts recently, please reach out for support before or instead of taking this assessment — you do not need to take a test to deserve help.
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Adult impact of childhood adversity
Documented adult impacts (well-established since Felitti & Anda's ACE Study, 1998):
- Elevated risk of depression, anxiety, PTSD, Complex PTSD
- Substance use disorders
- BPD features
- Eating disorders
- Chronic health conditions (cardiovascular, autoimmune, metabolic)
- Relational difficulty
- Sleep problems
- Shorter lifespan (in high-ACE samples)
Not deterministic — many adults recover well. Read more on our trauma disorders page. Protective factors include stable adult relationships, therapy, meaningful work, and self-compassion practice.
How your results are presented
CHILDAFF is a Mindtalk self-reflection screener, not a published clinical scale, so it does not have validated clinical cut-offs. In the app you receive a score in which higher means more reported ongoing impact, together with a suggested next step. A practical way to read it:
| Where your score falls | What it means | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|
| Lower end of the range | Few current effects reported | Keep an eye on stress, sleep and relationships |
| Middle of the range | Some areas of adult life are affected | Consider talking to a therapist; self-help and journaling can help |
| Higher end of the range | Several areas are strongly affected | Book an assessment with a trauma-trained clinician; take the ITQ |
These are reading guides, not clinical bands. They are not a diagnosis and are not comparable to a clinical score.
CHILDAFF vs ACE
ACE Score counts categories of childhood adversity you experienced (0-10). Snapshot of what happened.
CHILDAFF measures ongoing adult IMPACT — how those experiences continue to affect you across relationships, self-concept, emotion regulation, and physical health. Snapshot of what's still showing up.
Both useful. ACE for exposure; CHILDAFF for impact.
Post-traumatic growth
Not all adults with childhood trauma experience only adverse outcomes. Post-traumatic growth — meaning-making, resilience, deep empathy, wisdom — is well-documented. Trauma changes people; sometimes the change includes strength alongside vulnerability.
Treatments backed by evidence
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) — Strong RCT evidence for adult PTSD and complex trauma. 8-phase structured protocol.
TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT) — Standard trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy.
Somatic Experiencing — Body-focused approach. Growing evidence.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) — For toxic shame and self-criticism patterns.
Schema Therapy — For childhood-adversity-related schemas manifesting in adult life.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) — Increasingly used for complex trauma.
When to see a specialist
- Childhood trauma affecting current relationships, wellbeing, or self-concept
- Intrusive memories, avoidance, or hyperarousal
- Depression, anxiety, or self-defeating behaviour unresponsive to standard treatment
- Toxic shame as chronic pattern
- Difficulty with intimate relationships tied to family-of-origin
- Physical symptoms potentially trauma-linked
Mindtalk's trauma-focused clinicians (EMDR-trained, TF-CBT-trained, Somatic Experiencing) work across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mysore, and online for anywhere in India.
After the Childhood Trauma Test
- Take ACE Test — count of childhood adversity categories.
- Take ITQ — screens current PTSD and Complex PTSD symptoms.
- Take Toxic Shame Test if shame is a chronic pattern.
- Screen depression + anxiety. PHQ-9 and GAD-7.
- Book a trauma-focused specialist. Mindtalk's trauma clinicians.
Validation and evidence
CHILDAFF has not been independently validated as a clinical instrument; it is designed to help adults reflect on current impact and decide on next steps. The research behind it is strong. The CDC-Kaiser ACE Study (Felitti et al., 1998, 9,508 adults) found a graded link between the number of childhood adversity categories and adult risk of depression, substance misuse and physical disease, and a 2017 meta-analysis of 37 studies (253,719 adults) confirmed that four or more adverse experiences raise the risk of many health outcomes. When clinicians need a validated measure of childhood maltreatment, they often use the 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire short form (CTQ-SF), which held the same meaning across clinical and community samples in its development study.
References
- Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14(4):245-258. PubMed
- Hughes K, Bellis MA, Hardcastle KA, et al. The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2017;2(8):e356-e366. PubMed
- Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, et al. Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2003;27(2):169-190. PubMed
Related reading
- ACE Test
- ITQ trauma screener
- Trauma & PTSD hub
- Trauma Self-Insight hub
- Attachment Style Test — often shaped by childhood
- Mindtalk's trauma-focused clinicians across India
How to take the CHILDAFF
- 1
Open the Childhood Trauma Test in the Mindtalk app
Tap "Take the Childhood Trauma Test" to open CHILDAFF.
- 2
Answer items about childhood and adult impact
For each item, describe your experience honestly.
- 3
Get your impact profile
Receive your profile with recovery pathway recommendations.
Related assessment guides
ACE (explained) → CHILDAFF alternative
Take the ACE questionnaire — 10 questions about childhood adversity that predict adult mental and physical health. Free explanation and CHILDAFF alternative in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →ITQ
The only major screener that distinguishes PTSD from Complex PTSD. ICD-11 aligned, 18 items, 10-15 minutes. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →PCL-5 (explained) → ITQ free alternative
The PCL-5 — the standard 20-item DSM-5-anchored PTSD self-report scale. Learn what it is, and take the free ITQ trauma screener in the Mindtalk app.
Read the guide →Frequently Asked Questions
- How does childhood trauma affect adults?
- Documented adult impacts of childhood adversity: elevated risk of depression, anxiety, PTSD, Complex PTSD, substance use disorders, BPD features, eating disorders, chronic health conditions (cardiovascular, autoimmune, metabolic), relational difficulty, sleep problems, and even shorter lifespan. Not deterministic — many adults recover well. But the effect is real and treatable.
- CHILDAFF vs ACE — how are they different?
- ACE Score counts the categories of childhood adversity you experienced (0-10). CHILDAFF measures the ongoing IMPACT — how those experiences continue to affect your adult life across relationships, self-concept, emotion regulation, and physical health. Both are useful. ACE tells you what happened; CHILDAFF tells you how it's still showing up.
- Is childhood trauma treatable in adulthood?
- Yes — well documented. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT), Somatic Experiencing, and Compassion-Focused Therapy all have strong RCT evidence for adult recovery from childhood trauma. Recovery is real and lasting for most people who engage. The older narrative that "you just have to live with it" is outdated.
- What about Complex PTSD?
- Complex PTSD (CPTSD) — added to ICD-11 in 2018 — is the diagnosis specifically for chronic, repeated trauma (often childhood abuse or ongoing adversity). It includes the three core PTSD clusters PLUS three "disturbances in self-organisation" (affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, disturbed relationships). If your childhood trauma test suggests significant impact, take the [ITQ](/assessments/itq) which screens for both PTSD and CPTSD.
- When should I see a specialist?
- If childhood trauma is affecting current relationships, wellbeing, or self-concept. If intrusive memories, avoidance, or hyperarousal are present. If depression, anxiety, or self-defeating behaviour has been unresponsive to standard treatment (undetected trauma is a common reason). Mindtalk's trauma-focused clinicians work across India.
- Is this childhood trauma test free?
- Yes. The test is free in the Mindtalk app with a free account. It takes about 3 minutes and gives you an impact profile with suggested next steps. It is a screening and self-reflection tool, so if the results match your experience, the next step is a conversation with a trauma-trained clinician.
- Can a test tell me if I have repressed childhood trauma?
- No. No questionnaire can uncover or confirm forgotten memories. This test asks about patterns you notice in adult life now. If you suspect something happened but cannot remember it, work with a trauma-trained clinician who will focus on your current wellbeing and safety rather than on trying to recover memories.
Need a clinician's read on your results?
A high score is a signal, not a diagnosis. Mindtalk's psychiatrists and clinical psychologists can interpret your results and recommend next steps — same-day appointments available.