RESULTS

The more yes responses someone reports, the higher the statistical risk for certain outcomes in adulthood.

Here’s what that looks like in plain language:

Mental health & addiction

Compared to someone with 0 yes answers, people with 4+ yes responses are significantly more likely to experience:

•   About 2–4x higher risk of depression
•   About 7x higher risk of alcoholism or substance use disorder
•   Much higher likelihood of anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and chronic stress dysregulation

Suicide risk

•   Around 2–5x higher likelihood of suicidal ideation
•   In some studies, up to ~10–12x higher risk of suicide attempts for high yes scores (varies by population and definition)

Life stability (housing, incarceration, employment)

High yes scores are associated with:

•   Increased risk of homelessness or housing instability
•   Higher likelihood of justice system involvement / incarceration
•   More difficulty with consistent employment or long-term financial stability

These are not single-cause outcomes—yes answers increase vulnerability, especially when combined with lack of support systems, ongoing trauma, poverty, or untreated mental health conditions.

In other words:

Yes responses increase probability, not certainty.

 

Why it matters to seek help if your score is high

A high score is less about labeling and more about pattern recognition. It often means:

•   Your nervous system may have adapted to chronic stress
•   Coping strategies that once helped may now be overworked or self-protective in ways that cause harm
•   You may be carrying stress that isn’t fully processed or supported

Support matters because it can:
•   Re-train stress responses
•   Reduce long-term health risks
•   Improve emotional regulation and decision-making
•   Interrupt generational cycles of trauma

First—take a breath.

Whatever number you got, this is not a label.

It’s simply a snapshot of experiences that may have shaped you.

Here’s what research has shown:

The more difficult or stressful experiences someone has growing up, the more likely they may be to struggle later with things like:

  • anxiety or depression
  • feeling overwhelmed or shutting down
  • relationship challenges
  • substance use or risky behaviors
 

But that’s only part of the story.

The other part is this: people heal. People grow. And support changes everything.

A higher score doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you.

It means your nervous system and life experiences may have had to carry more than most.

And that deserves attention—not judgment.

 

If you’re a parent reading this:

This is not about blame. It’s about awareness and opportunity.

If you’re a teen reading this:

Nothing here means your future is set. You are still in the middle of your story.

You might consider reaching out for support if:

  • you often feel overwhelmed, anxious, or numb
  • you struggle to trust people or feel safe
  • you’re using substances or unhealthy coping to get through
  • you just feel like something is “off” and don’t know why
 

You are not alone in this.

And you don’t have to wait until things get worse to get support.

We’re here to help—early, honestly, and without judgment.