Self-assessment

Benevolent Childhood Experiences

A short, private questionnaire that counts the good. The BCE survey measures the favorable experiences of childhood — the safety, comfort, and connection that protect us across a lifetime.

Your BCE score

0-10

One point for each benevolent experience you can recall from childhood. Even amid adversity, these favorable memories tend to be widely shared — and they matter.

What it is

Counting what went right.

The Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCE) scale was developed by researchers to capture the favorable, protective experiences of early life.

For decades, the science of childhood focused mostly on what went wrong. The BCE survey turns the lens toward what went right — the felt sense of safety, the caring adult, the predictable routine, the moments of belonging that buffer us against stress.

It’s a natural complement to the ACE survey. Research shows that benevolent experiences are common even for people who faced significant adversity, and that they’re associated with better wellbeing later in life. Naming them helps us protect and recreate them — for ourselves and for the children and teams we serve.

What it measures

Ten benevolent experiences.

Thinking back to your first 18 years, the survey asks whether each of these was true for you.

01

Did you have at least one caregiver with whom you felt safe?

02

Did you have at least one good friend?

03

Did you have beliefs that gave you comfort?

04

Did you enjoy school?

05

Did you have at least one teacher who cared about you?

06

Did you have good neighbors?

07

Was there an adult (not a parent or teacher) who could offer support or advice?

08

Did you have opportunities to have a good time?

09

Did you like yourself or feel comfortable with yourself?

10

Did you have a predictable home routine, like regular meals and a regular bedtime?

How it FITS

Two scores, one fuller story.

An ACE score and a BCE score aren’t opposites that cancel out — they live side by side. Most of us carry both adversity and benevolence, and understanding each helps us respond with more compassion.

The ACE survey

What we had to endure

Counts adverse childhood experiences — abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction — to surface the toxic stress someone may have carried. It names the risk.

The BCE survey

What helped us through

Counts benevolent childhood experiences — safety, care, comfort, and belonging — to surface the protective memories that buffer stress. It names the strength.

Both can be true at once. A high ACE score doesn’t erase benevolent experiences, and a high BCE score doesn’t minimize real adversity. Holding both is part of a trauma-informed, resilience-first way of seeing ourselves and others.

Get the full picture

Take all three.

Adversity, protective factors, and benevolent experiences — together they map both where you’ve been and what helps you thrive.

Companion survey

The ACE Survey

Understand your exposure to adverse childhood experiences — the risk side of the resilience equation.

Companion survey

The Resilience Survey

Map the protective factors and supports in your life — the buffers that help you recover from stress.

Start with yourself

Honor the good that
helped you grow.

It’s free, private, and takes just a few minutes. Recognizing
your benevolent experiences is a gentle, powerful step in any resilience-building journey.