title: Public mental health clients with severe mental illness and probable posttraumatic stress disorder: trauma exposure and correlates of symptom severity.
abstract: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) are at greatly increased risk for trauma exposure and for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study reports findings from a large, comprehensive screening of trauma and PTSD symptoms among public mental health clients in a statewide community mental health system. In 851 individuals with SMI and probable PTSD, childhood sexual abuse was the most commonly endorsed index trauma, followed closely by the sudden death of a loved one. Participants had typically experienced an average of 7 types of traumatic events in their lifetime. The number of types of traumatic events experienced and Hispanic ethnicity were significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity. Clients reported experiencing PTSD in relation to events that occurred on average 20 years earlier, suggesting the clinical need to address trauma and loss throughout the lifespan, including their prolonged after-effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Scotch Plains, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Weili
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Philip T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Yanos
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: Kim T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Mueser
authors.forename: Stanley D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Jennifer D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Stephanie Marcello
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Duva
authors.forename: Thanuja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kularatne
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dove-Williams
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paterno
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hawthorne
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giacobbe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology