TikTokkers have been sharing their results from BetterMe’s “Childhood Trauma Test,” but the site’s privacy policy reveals that the test is a data collection tool.
A typical TikTok about the test starts with something like, “Test shouldn’t be that bad. My childhood was good,” before the creator reveals their test results that show severe levels of trauma. The tags “trauma test” and “childhood trauma test” have 12.7 and 2.1 million views respectively.
We’re worried about the wrong kind of ‘trauma talk’ online
BetterMe is a Ukrainian subscription-based behavioral healthcare platform with two products: BetterMe Health Coaching and BetterMe Mental Health. BetterMe Health Coaching creates a workout and nutrition plan for you and BetterMe Mental Health focuses on meditation techniques to improve your life.
The Childhood Trauma Test asks a series of invasive questions including, “were you often punished in childhood” and “do you easily make negative assumptions about what others are thinking about you and your actions?”
Then, in order to receive your results, you have to give the platform your email address. Your results show your levels of rejection trauma, abandonment trauma, betrayal trauma, and injustice trauma. But there is no information on how the test was designed and if it’s been vetted by the mental health community. It proceeds to offer you a customized healing plan that you have to pay for, of course.
BetterMe’s privacy policy indicates that the test collects a lot of your personal data.
“We collect data from your mobile device. Examples of such data include: language settings, IP address, time zone, type and model of a device, device settings, operating system, Internet service provider, mobile carrier, hardware ID, and Facebook ID.”
All these data points can be used to personally identify you if you take the test. BetterMe shares this data with third parties including Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Snapchat.
There is a questionnaire that mental health professionals use to inventory what is known as “Adverse Childhood Experiences,” a term for potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. This includes experiencing abuse or witnessing violence. The ACE questionnaire was developed by Kaiser Permanente based on their study of child abuse and neglect’s impact on later-life health and well-being. However, there is no flashy end to this quiz, as it is mainly used by mental health professionals.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential support 24/7. Text CRISIS to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Here is a list of international resources.