Ataque de nervios and history of childhood trauma.
Ataque de nervios is a common, self-labeled Hispanic folk diagnosis. It typically describes episodic, dramatic outbursts of negative emotion in response to a stressor, sometimes involving destructive behavior. Dissociation and affective dysregulation during such episodes suggested a link to childhood trauma. We therefore assessed psychiatric diagnoses, history of ataque, and childhood trauma in treatment-seeking Hispanic outpatients (N = 70). Significantly more subjects with an anxiety or affective disorder plus ataque reported a history of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or or a substance-abusing caretaker than those with psychiatric disorder but no ataque. In some Hispanic individuals, ataque may represent a culturally sanctioned expression of extreme affect dysregulation associated with childhood trauma. Patients with ataque de nervios should receive a thorough traumatic history assessment.
Schechter
D S
DS
New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY, USA.
Marshall
R
R
Salmán
E
E
Goetz
D
D
Davies
S
S
Liebowitz
M R
MR
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders