Victimization and PTSD-like states in an Icelandic youth probability sample.
BACKGROUND
Although adolescence in many cases is a period of rebellion and experimentation with new behaviors and roles, the exposure of adolescents to life-threatening and violent events has rarely been investigated in national probability studies using a broad range of events.


METHODS
In an Icelandic national representative sample of 206 9th-grade students (mean = 14.5 years), the prevalence of 20 potentially traumatic events and negative life events was reported, along with the psychological impact of these events.


RESULTS
Seventy-four percent of the girls and 79 percent of the boys were exposed to at least one event. The most common events were the death of a family member, threat of violence, and traffic accidents. The estimated lifetime prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder-like states (PTSD; DSM-IV, APA, 1994 1) was 16 percent, whereas another 12 percent reached a sub-clinical level of PTSD-like states (missing the full diagnosis with one symptom). Following exposure, girls suffered from PTSD-like states almost twice as often as boys. Gender, mothers' education, and single-parenthood were associated with specific events. The odds ratios and 95% CI for PTSD-like states given a specific event are reported. Being exposed to multiple potentially traumatic events was associated with an increase in PTSD-like states.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate substantial mental health problems in adolescents that are associated with various types of potentially traumatic exposure.
Bödvarsdóttir
Iris
I
Department of Psychology, University of Aarhus, Jens Chr, Skous Vej 4, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. iris@hsu.is
Elklit
Ask
A
D000293:Adolescent; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology