Polytraumatization in an adult national sample and its association with psychological distress and self-esteem.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of self-reported experiences of potential childhood traumas and polytraumatization, and to find cut-off values for different kinds of potential traumatic events in a national representative sample of adults in Sweden. In addition, to analyse the association between polytraumatization and both psychological distress and global self-esteem.


METHODS
A web-based survey - containing SCL-25 and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Linköping Difficult Life Events Scale - Adult - was sent out to a nationally reprative sample and 5062 people chose to participate in the study.


RESULTS
Results showed that almost everyone (97%) has experienced at least one potential traumatic event and that polytraumatization (the 10% of the participants with most reported traumas) was significantly (Z = 12.57, P < 0.001, r = 0.18) associated with psychological distress and global self-esteem. Gender differences were significant (Z = 8.44, P < 0.001, r = 0.12), in that men experience more noninterpersonal traumas but women report more symptoms. The effect sizes regarding the impact of potential trauma on self-esteem were largest for women with experience of polytraumatization in the age group 18-25 (r = 0.48). There was almost linear increase in psychological distress and linear decrease in self-esteem with increasing number of traumatic events experienced.


CONCLUSIONS
Experience of polytrauma can be considered an important factor to take into account in psychiatric settings as well.
Section for Psychology, Department for Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Linköping, SE-581 83, Sweden.
Doris
D
Nilsson
Section for Disability Research, Department for Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Linköping, SE-581 83, Sweden.
Örjan
Ö
Dahlstöm
Department of Psychology, Linnæus University Växjö, SE-35195, Sweden.
Gisela
G
Priebe
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University Linköping, SE-581 85, Sweden.
Carl Göran
CG
Svedin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
Adults; anxiety; depression; polytraumatization; self-esteem