Traumatic experiences and mental health status for female ethnic minority adolescents and young adults on the run from their families due to negative social control

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study addresses family-related violence against ethnic minority women, a global public health concern. The study aims to investigate various forms of negative social control experienced by this group at the Safehouse, assess their mental health status, examine the links between negative social control and mental health outcomes, and the impact of other potentially traumatic events in this context. Data was collected at a safehouse with 86 young Danish ethnic minority women, who have been sheltered due to experiences of negative social control in the family. Measures included the ICD-11 Trauma Questionnaire, Life Event Checklist, Beck Youth Inventories, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory as well as background information, where respondents were asked whether they had experienced negative social control, violence etc. and sociodemographic characteristics. Findings indicate severe mental health consequences, such as high prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (50.7%) and Complex-PTSD (C-PTSD) (29.9%), as well as severe symptoms of depression and anxiety in a large proportion of the respondents. Furthermore, correlations suggested that negative social control might play an important role in the development of e.g. PTSD. A hierarchical regression analysis including negative social control, explained 35.5% of the PTSD symptomatology. Most of the young people who seeks shelter at a Safehouse suffer from severe mental health problems due to violence and negative social control. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed. Future research should further focus on psychological sequelae in a prospective design. The development and validation of a measure for negative social control would contribute greatly to this area of research.