Victimization and PTSD in a Danish national youth probability sample.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of traumatic events and life events in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
In a Danish national representative sample of 390 eighth-grade students with a mean age of 14.5 years, 20 prevalent potential traumatizing and distressing events were described, along with the psychological impact of these events.


RESULTS
Eighty-seven percent of the females and 78% of the males were exposed to at least one event. The most common events were the death of a family member, threat of violence, or serious accidents. The most distressing subjective events were rape, suicide attempts, death in the family, serious illness, and childhood abuse. Gender, parents' education, and living with a single parent were associated with specific events. The estimated lifetime prevalence of PSTD was 9.0%, whereas another 14.1% reached a subclinical level of PTSD. After exposure, females suffered from PTSD twice as often as males. Being exposed to multiple traumatic events was associated with an increase in PTSD.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings in this study suggest substantial mental health problems in adolescents who are associated with various types of victimization.
Elklit
Ask
A
Institute of Psychology, University of Aarhus, Denmark. aske@psy.au.dk
D000059:Accidents / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*