Evaluating the Psychometric Qualities of the ACE-10 Using an Item Response Theory Approach

• In Event: Measurement Challenges and Innovations

Abstract

The measurement of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been widely researched and hotly debated. These inquiries range from the level of measurement typically used for measures of ACEs to the inability of ACEs to account for the experiences of marginalized communities. The focus of the current study, however, is to focus on the psychometric qualities of an existing measure of ACEs. In particular, this study will examine the psychometric qualities of the ACE-10 in a sample of general population men and women using an Item Response Theory (IRT) approach. Results of the study will provide the first application of IRT to this measure of ACEs and provide a new level of insight into its psychometric qualities for adult general population men and women. Implications regarding the measurement of ACEs, specifically as it pertains to the ACE-10, will be discussed.

Authors

• Ethan A. Marshall, University of Houston-Downtown

• Matthias Woeckener, University of Nebraska at Kearney