Trauma Questionnaire Research Articles

Construction and Validation of a Muslim Religious Trauma Scale

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure the traumatic religious experiences among Muslims and assess its validity, reliability, and factor structure. Data were collected from 452 (25.9% men and 74.01% women) Muslim participants in Turkey aged 18–60 or over (the average age group was 30–33) on an online platform. Measures included an original Muslim Religious Trauma Scale comprising newly constructed religious trauma items, Religiosity Scales, the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Brief Trauma Questionnaire, the Post-Traumatic Symptom Scale, and the Dissociation Scale. The results of exploratory factor analysis revealed six factors: spiritual incongruence, spiritual disappointment, social or peer pressure, feelings of sin and guilt, sexual abuse, and corporal punishment. It was found that the association of religious trauma with general trauma, post-traumatic symptoms, and dissociation supported the assumption of concurrent validity of the newly developed Muslim Religious Trauma Scale. Additionally, it also confirmed the idea that some of the adverse religious experiences could be traumatic.

Assessing the Severity of Earthquake Trauma on Syrian Refugee Survivors in Southern Turkey and Displaced Individuals in Northwest Syria

The study sought to investigate the extent and intensity of earthquake-related psychological distress experienced by Syrian refugee survivors residing in southern Turkey and displaced individuals in northwest Syria. A technique focused on providing detailed descriptions and conducting thorough analysis was employed. Three scales of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Trauma History Screen (THS), and Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) were used. The study included 600 participants, with 300 participants from each region. The prevalence rate of PTSD among survivors one year after the 2023 Turkey earthquake was high, around 68%. while the prevalence rate of THS and BTQ was low. The results for PTSD indicated that there were statistically significant differences only between age and marital status in southern Turkey. As for northwest Syria, there were statistically significant differences only in gender. The results for THS and BTQ indicated statistically significant differences only between gender, age, and working status in southern Turkey. As for northwest Syria, there were statistically significant differences between gender, education level, and working status. There was a positive direct correlation between PTSD on the one hand and THS and BTQ on the other hand. This indicates that the level of PTSD increases as THS and BTQ increase. In regression analysis, the results showed that THS and BTQ contribute to interpreting the variance in PTSD. When THS and BTQ increase, they contribute to increased symptoms of PTSD. The beta value for THS in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria was (β = 1.127, β = 0.793), respectively. While the beta value for BTQ in southern Turkey was (β = 0.70) .Conclusions: Both THS and BTQ make a statistically significant contribution to explaining the variations in PTSD among survivors in the research of the two locations. The incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among survivors was 68%. PTSD was found to be linked with older age, female gender, widowhood, and divorce.

Positive psychosocial factors may protect against perceived stress in people with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without trauma history

ObjectiveTrauma history is associated with SLE onset and worse patient-reported outcomes; perceived stress is associated with greater SLE disease activity. Stress perceptions vary in response to life events and may...

The potential role of chronic pain and the polytrauma clinical triad in predicting prodromal PD: A cross-sectional study of U.S. Veterans

IntroductionThe research criteria for prodromal Parkinson disease (pPD) depends on prospectively validated clinical inputs with large effect sizes and/or high prevalence. Neither traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nor chronic pain are currently included in the calculator, despite recent evidence of association with pPD. These conditions are widely prevalent, co-occurring, and already known to confer risk of REM behavior disorder (RBD) and PD. Few studies have examined PD risk in the context of TBI and PTSD; none have examined chronic pain. This study aimed to measure the risk of pPD caused by TBI, PTSD, and chronic pain. Methods216 US Veterans were enrolled who had self-reported recurrent or persistent pain for at least three months. Of these, 44 met criteria for PTSD, 39 for TBI, and 41 for all three conditions. Several pain, sleep, affective, and trauma questionnaires were administered. Participants’ history of RBD was determined via self-report, with a subset undergoing confirmatory video polysomnography. ResultsA greater proportion of Veterans with chronic pain met criteria for RBD (36 % vs. 10 %) and pPD (18.0 % vs. 8.3 %) compared to controls. Proportions were increased in RBD (70 %) and pPD (27 %) when chronic pain co-occurred with TBI and PTSD. Partial effects were seen with just TBI or PTSD alone. When analyzed as continuous variables, polytrauma symptom severity correlated with pPD probability (r = 0.28, P = 0.03). ConclusionThese data demonstrate the potential utility of chronic pain, TBI, and PTSD in the prediction of pPD, and the importance of trauma-related factors in the pathogenesis of PD.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease patients during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

Given reports of increased prevalence of PTSD symptoms at COVID-19 pandemic onset, we aimed to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at pandemic onset in individuals with and without systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD). In May 2020, we invited 6678 patients to complete the Brief Trauma Questionnaire and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), validated PTSD symptom screenings. We compared responses from patients with and without SARD using multivariable logistic regression. We received 1473 responses (22% response rate) from 5/2020 to 9/2021 (63 with prior PTSD diagnoses, 138 with SARD history). The SARD population was more female (p .0001) and had a higher baseline prevalence of stress disorders (56% vs. 43%, p .004). SARD subjects reported more experiences with life-threatening illness, 60%, versus 53% among those without SARD (p .13), and more antidepressant or anxiolytic medication use pre-pandemic (78% vs. 59%, p .0001). Adjusting for pre-pandemic PTSD diagnosis, younger age and history of stress disorder were the most significant predictors of PCL-5 positivity. There were no significant differences in PCL-5 score or positivity among those with or without SARD. In this population, patients with SARD had a higher pre-COVID-19 prevalence of stress-related conditions, but it was not the case that they had an increased risk of PTSD symptoms in the early pandemic. Younger individuals, those with baseline depression, anxiety, or adjustment disorders, and those taking antidepressant or anxiolytic medications were more likely to have PTSD symptoms in the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract 16926: Associations of Preeclampsia and Preterm Delivery With Lifetime Posttraumatic Stress

Introduction: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are female-specific CVD risk factors while posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a female-predominant CVD risk factor. Preeclampsia and preterm delivery are acute APOs with negative maternal and fetal consequences that, for some, results in trauma. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that individuals with a history of preeclampsia or preterm delivery would be more likely to screen positive for lifetime PTSD. Methods: Parous Nurses’ Health Study II participants who responded to a 2008 questionnaire ascertaining trauma (Brief Trauma Questionnaire, with targeted query of 16 event types) and PTSD (Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV PTSD) comprised the analytic sample (n=40,256). Trauma and PTSD were categorized using four categories: no trauma, trauma with no PTSD symptoms, 1-3 symptoms, or ≥4 symptoms (probable PTSD). Ordered logistic regression, using a cumulative logit link and multinomial distribution, estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age at enrollment, race/ethnicity, and parental education. Results: Seven percent of participants had a history of preeclampsia (n=3,012) while 13.5% (n=5,418) ever delivered preterm. Twenty-one percent of participants screened positive for PTSD (n=8,336), endorsing ≥4 symptoms from their worst trauma. Among participants with PTSD, 66% of those with preterm preeclampsia in their first pregnancy endorsed having a traumatic pregnancy complication or labor/birth, compared to 23% among those who delivered normotensive first pregnancies at term. Odds of PTSD were higher with history of ever preeclampsia (OR=1.36, CI: 1.27-1.45) or preterm delivery (OR=1.41, CI: 1.34-1.48), compared to only normotensive pregnancies and term deliveries, respectively. Further adjustment for physical or sexual abuse in childhood/adolescence did not change conclusions but did attenuate the odds ratio for preeclampsia (OR=1.26, CI: 1.18-1.35). Conclusions: History of preeclampsia or preterm delivery identifies a population at higher risk for lifetime posttraumatic stress. Further studies are needed to disentangle temporality and examine to what extent subsequent mental health conditions may mediate the relationship between APOs and CVD.

Prevalence of Trauma History and Symptoms in Patients Who Have Received Vaginal Brachytherapy as Part of their Endometrial Cancer Treatment

Vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) is an essential component of curative intent treatment for many patients with endometrial cancer. The prevalence of trauma history in this population is unknown and is important to understand considering VBT requires patients to have an instrument vaginally inserted while in the vulnerable lithotomy position. We aim to retrospectively identify patients treated with VBT for early-stage endometrial cancer and collect survey data to assess the prevalence of trauma history, whether VBT re-induced trauma symptoms, and whether VBT was considered an independent traumatic event by patients. We retrospectively identified patients with endometrial cancer treated with VBT at our institution from January 2017 to August 2022. Patients were mailed a cover letter and unique-identifier coded survey that included the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) and Primary Care Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Screen for DSM-V (PC-PTSD-5), both validated instruments. Patients were instructed to fill out the surveys as it relates to their trauma history prior to VBT and again considering any trauma symptomatology related to VBT. BTQ was interpreted as positive if the patient responded yes to any question. PC-PTSD-5 was interpreted positive if the patient responded yes to at least 3 questions. Electronic medical record review was performed to identify clinical and pathologic features. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis were used to assess survey responses. A total of 51 of 206 patients returned the survey at the time of interim analysis. 43 patients (84%) screened positive on the BTQ for having trauma history. Of those patients, 7 (16%) screened positive on the PC-PTSD-5 for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Additionally, 22 (51%)/18 (42%) patients answered yes to at least one/two symptoms on the PC-PTSD-5 respectively. Of the patients who answered yes to at least one question on the PC-PTSD-5, 18% (4 patients) responded that VBT triggered flashbacks of their past trauma. Regarding PC-PTSD-5 considering trauma symptomatology related to VBT, 20 patients (39%) answered yes to any question, though only 2 patients (4%) met the threshold to screen positive for probable PTSD. 20 patients (39%) indicated they would have accepted a referral to psychology before or during VBT. Suggested improvements made via free text responses included minimizing the time the cylinder was inserted and eliminating the need to transfer via hallway from the simulation room to the treatment room. This study provides a baseline for understanding the prevalence of trauma history and trauma related to VBT in patients with endometrial cancer. This data can be used to guide patient centered discussions of endometrial cancer care, importantly including to counsel patients that a possible toxicity of VBT is trauma symptomatology, particularly for those with a history of trauma.

Differences in perceived threat and trauma in children during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe past 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic were stressful for most children and adolescents; some children may have experienced a high level of stress and trauma. To date, no study has examined self-reported stress and trauma levels due to COVID-19 in children. This study aimed to assess perceived threat, exposure and trauma symptoms in children aged 7–13 years. In addition, we explored whether parent-reported factors could predict a higher risk of COVID-19 vulnerability in their children.MethodCross-sectional data were collected from 752 children to assess COVID-19 threat, exposure and trauma symptoms using the self- and parent-reported Child and Adolescent Trauma Screening Self-Report (CATS) Trauma questionnaire. We used exploratory analyses (factor analysis of mixed data and hierarchical clustering) to identify subgroups (i.e., clusters) of children sharing similar characteristics in the dataset. Linear regression modeling was applied to determine the likelihood of higher threat and vulnerability in children with parent-reported COVID-19 threat, exposure, CATS trauma symptoms, behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and posttraumatic growth (PTG).ResultsWe identified a high-risk group of children reporting clinically relevant trauma symptoms and COVID-19-related fears. Parents’ reports of trauma could be used to identify children at high risk.ConclusionsApproximately 25% of children reported moderate to clinically relevant levels of trauma symptom. It is especially important to offer adequate support to these children to ease the trauma and prevent their symptoms from developing into psychopathology.

Parental Attitudes and Childhood Traumas as Predictors of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in University Students.

In this study, we aimed to examine the predictive effects of parental attitudes and childhood traumas on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in university students. This cross-sectional and correlational study was performed with the participation of 780 students. The data collection tools were a "Descriptive Information Form," the "Padua Inventory," the "Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28," and the "Parental Attitude Scale." The results of the regression analysis revealed that perceived protective/demanding (ß = 0.959; P < .001) and authoritarian (ß = 0.439; P < .001) parenting attitudes and childhood traumas (emotional neglect ß = 0.905; P = .049; physical abuse ß = 1.464; P = .002; emotional abuse ß = 2.152; P < .001; sexual abuse ß = 0.812; P = .030) constituted a positive and significant predictor of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Evaluation of parental attitudes and childhood traumas and interventions aimed at predicting the obsessive-compulsive disorder-related consequences of parental attitudes and childhood traumas can help alleviate obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. Involving families in treatment approaches such as psychoeducation and psychotherapy for childhood trauma victims with obsessive-compulsive disorder and cooperation with families can positively affect treatment processes. Nurses with the roles of direct care, support, education, and counseling have important standing in running psychoeducation groups. In particular, academic psychiatric nurses can identify risky students and provide counseling and psychoeducation to university students.

A feasibility study of the transdiagnostic self-injury interview

Objectives The Transdiagnostic Self-injury Interview (TSI) is a new measure that assesses the onset, frequency, methods, and severity of non-suicidal self-injury. The aims were to demonstrate the feasibility of a TSI validation study, and to investigate TSI’s criterion validity, clinical correlates, and interrater reliability. Materials and methods Recruiting sites were psychiatric in- and outpatient units. Feasibility targets included number of participants completing the study, TSI completion time, total participation time, participants experiencing exacerbation of symptoms, along with other targets. Criterion validity was evaluated using the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). Clinical correlates were examined with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the Personal and Social Performance Scale, the Affective Lability Scale-18, and the Brief Trauma Questionnaire. Interrater reliability was evaluated with video recordings and written material. Results Fifty participants were included. The majority were women (76%) and had a mean age of 31.3 years (SD: 10.4). Schizophrenia (44%) and schizoaffective disorder (18%) were the most prevalent diagnoses. TSI took an average 9.3 min to complete and the total participation time was on average less than one hour. One participant experienced an exacerbation of self-injury ideation (without the need of intervention). A significant correlation was found between TSI and DSHI (r: 0.94, p-value: < 0.001). TSI was correlated to C-SSRS ideation intensity and ideation frequency but not suicidal attempts. TSI was not significantly correlated to other measures. Interrater reliabilities were statistically significant. Conclusions The results support the feasibility of a TSI validation study, which is needed to validate TSI in different settings and across diagnoses.

Gender differences in the relationship between sleep and childhood traumas

IntroductionSleep is one of the most important factors for well-being. Numerous studies have linked poor sleep to negative consequences such as depression (Guo et al., 2014), substance use (Comasco et al., 2010), obesity (Wu et al., 2015), and suicidality (Liu &amp; Buysse, 2006). Understanding the causes of poor sleep is an important public health concern. Childhood trauma can have a lifelong influence on mental health and development. However, many examinations of childhood trauma focus on the number of experiences and not the impact of specific experiences. Research has shown gender differences in both insomnia and childhood maltreatment outcomes (Lee et al., 2014); however, less attention has been paid to the potential role of gender in the link between other types of childhood trauma and sleep disturbance.ObjectivesThe goal of the current study is to understand the role of gender in the relationship between childhood traumas and sleep problems among a community sample of emerging adults. This research aims to build on and extend previous work in three different ways: 1) add to the literature on childhood trauma among emerging adults; 2) examine specific types of childhood traumas; and 3) expand the categories to explore the role of some less studied adversities.MethodsThe study included a sample of 211 young adults from an urban community. Traumas were measured with the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ; Schnurr et al., 1999) and sleep was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse et al., 1989). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for the relationship between sleep problems and five traumas (involved in a serious accident, experienced serious injury, violent death of a close family member or friend, witnessed someone’s serious injury or death, and natural disaster).ResultsResults showed that males and females experienced similar rates of trauma. Trauma experienced during childhood was associated with an increased prevalence of poor sleep. In the male model, being involved in a serious accident (OR=1.47), experiencing serious injury (OR=1.24), and experiencing a natural disaster (OR=1.11) were all significantly associated with poor sleep. In the female model, the violent death of a close family member or friend (OR=2.02), witnessing someone’s serious injury or death (OR=1.78), and experiencing a natural disaster (OR=1.69) were all significantly associated with poor sleep.ConclusionsTraumatic events may impact men and women differently. Women in the study showed greater sleep problems in the wake of childhood traumatic events. They also responded more strongly to events that they saw happening to other people, while men were more greatly affected by things that happened directly to them. Natural disasters are a relatively common event that has a strong impact on sleep. Intervention efforts addressing trauma and poor sleep should be aware of gender differences for greater efficacy.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Mumbling as a Potential Marker of Posttraumatic Distress

This study sought to examine whether mumbling might, for some youths, arise among traumatic sequelae. College students provided retrospective reports of mumbling and completed standardized measures of trauma history and posttraumatic distress (Brief Trauma Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory for Primary Care, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale). Mumbling was associated with a higher likelihood of sexual abuse but not other forms of trauma. Several measures of distress were significantly elevated for those who reported mumbling (Fear of Negative Evaluation, Difficulty Identifying Feelings, Difficulty Describing Feelings, and Anxiety – with the first two accounting for significant specific variance). Findings suggest that mumbling in young people could be a sign that encourages screening for sexual trauma and distress.

The association of trauma with self-reported flares and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Trauma has been linked to incident SLE, but its relationship with SLE disease activity is unknown. This analysis examines associations between trauma exposures and patient-reported SLE disease activity and flares. Data were from the California Lupus Epidemiology Study (CLUES). Flares were self-reported as any flare and, of those, flares accompanied by medical care (hospitalization or physician contact). The Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) assessed disease activity. The Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) assessed all historical trauma exposures. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire was available for a subset. Multivariable regression analyses (n = 252) examined whether trauma exposure was associated with flares or SLAQ controlling for age, sex, poverty, race/ethnicity, comorbidities, perceived stress, disease duration and self-reported disease damage. Excluding exposure to serious illness, 63.4% reported ≥1 trauma exposure. Any traumatic event, excluding illness, doubled the odds of a flare [OR 2.27 (95% CI 1.24, 4.17)] and was associated with significantly higher SLAQ scores [β 2.31 (0.86, 3.76)]. Adjusted odds of any flare and flare with medical care were significantly elevated for those with both BTQ and ACE exposures [5.91 (2.21, 15.82) and 4.69 (1.56, 14.07), respectively]. SLAQ scores were also higher for those with both exposures [β 5.22 (3.00, 7.44)]. In this cohort, those with a history of trauma reported more flares and greater disease activity. Identifying mechanisms of associations between trauma and disease activity and flares, as well as interventions to mitigate the effects of trauma exposures is critical, given the high rates of trauma exposures.

THE IMPACT OF LIFE TRAUMA ON THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR: A STUDY FROM PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE COUNTRIES

Introduction: The word “trauma” is commonly used to refer to a stressful event, however, each person’s individual adaptability and coping capacity is what defines whether an event is traumatic for them. The psychological trauma resulting from a traumatic event compromise both the mental and physical health of the traumatized individual. Several studies report the incidence of traumatic experiences in community and clinical samples and in specific populations. Suicide is still a major global public health concern and globally more than 700,000 people die from suicide every year. There is substantial research regarding the impact that exposure to a traumatic event has on mental health and suicidal behavior in various study populations, but this area remains unexplored in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC). Objective: This study aims to 1) describe the traumatic experiences, mental health levels and suicidal behavior, comparing differences between country of residence; 2) assess correlations between traumatic experiences and mental health and suicidal behavior; and 3) assess the impact of exposure to a traumatic event on mental health and suicidal behavior. Methods: The participants of this study are 1006 individuals from Portugal, Brazil, and African Countries with Portuguese as an Official Language (ACPOP). The measurement instruments included a sociodemographic questionnaire, Brief Symptoms Inventory-18 (BSI-18), Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ), and the Portuguese version of Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Results: The results indicate that the rates of anxious, depressive, and somatic symptomatology are within the average range for a community population in Portugal. The ACPOP participants reported greater impact of war, while Portuguese participants reported greater impact of disasters and Brazilian participants reported greater impact of psychological and sexual abuse, assault, and death of a family member. Brazilian participants showed the worst levels of mental health and greater suicidal thoughts, but Portuguese participants showed greater probability of committing suicide. Although strong correlations were found between traumatic experiences and mental health levels and suicidal behavior, only physical and sexual abuse were positively correlated with all BSI-18 and SBQ-R subscales. A linear regression analysis revealed that traumatic experiences explain 23.4% of the variance in mental health levels and 11.6% of the variance in suicide probability. Conclusion: Mental health is of paramount importance for quality of life. Therefore, it is important to understand the risk factors for poor mental health outcomes including suicide risk, in this case exposure to traumatic events, for a direct and effective intervention and prevention. Our results elucidate and reinforce the impact of traumatic experiences on mental health and its role as a predictor of suicide attempts, contributing to a better understanding about these themes to assist future preventive or remedial intervention. Governments of Portuguese Language Countries should include strategies aimed at minimizing the impact of traumatic experiences when implementing mental health policies and prevention campaigns.

Association between childhood trauma and medication adherence among patients with major depressive disorder: the moderating role of resilience

BackgroundSuboptimal medication adherence is a major reason for failure in the management of major depressive disorder (MDD), childhood trauma might be an essential risk factor of suboptimal medication adherence. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the associations between different types of childhood trauma and medication adherence among patients with MDD, and to test whether resilience has moderating effects on the foregoing associations.MethodsParticipants were from the Depression Cohort in China (ChiCTR registry number 1900022145), 282 MDD patients with completed both baseline and 12-weeks follow-up investigations were included in this study. The diagnosis of MDD was assessed by trained psychiatrists using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Childhood trauma was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 item Short Form (CTQ-SF), and resilience was evaluated using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Demographic characteristics, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt, insomnia symptoms, and painful somatic symptoms were also investigated. Participants were divided into groups of optimal and suboptimal adherence based on their Medication Adherence Rating Scale scores. Logistic regression and stratified analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 234 participants (83%) reported suboptimal medication adherence. After adjusting for covariates, CTQ total scores (AOR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.01–1.06), CTQ measures of sexual abuse (AOR = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.01–1.37), and CTQ measures of physical neglect (AOR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.02–1.23) were all associated with an increased likelihood of suboptimal adherence. There were significant moderating effects of resilience on the associations of childhood trauma (P = 0.039) and physical neglect (P = 0.034) with medication adherence. The stratification analyses showed that CTQ total scores and CTQ measures of physical neglect were independently associated with an increased risk of suboptimal adherence among patients with MDD with low-resilience or moderate-resilience, while not significantly associated with suboptimal adherence in those with high-resilience.ConclusionChildhood trauma was a significant risk factor of suboptimal adherence among patients with MDD, and resilience moderated the foregoing association. Obtaining a history of childhood trauma and assessing resilience may help identify patients with suboptimal adherence when providing MDD pharmacotherapy. Psychiatrists may consider enhancing resilience to cope with the adverse effects of childhood trauma on medication adherence.

The International Trauma Questionnaire: An assessment of the psychometric properties of its Spanish version

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the international Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). Material and Methods: An online survey was launched to recruit participants. This survey was shared via social networks (Twitter, Facebook) and messaging applications (Telegram, WhatsApp) from November 15 to December 15, 2021. Participants were 141 individuals older than 18 years and with at least one self-reported lifetime traumatic event. ITQ was translated into Spanish and validated through a confirmatory factor analysis. Participants have been also scored with the trauma questionnaire (TQ) and the international trauma exposure measure. Results: The results of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test and the sphericity test were adequate (KMO=0.878) and significant (p<0.001), respectively. A two-dimensional scale was reported after confirmatory analysis. Fit indices reported that the model adjustment was good. Cronbach’s alpha of the total scale was α=0.95, as well as for the PTSD symptoms and DSO clusters were α=0.91 and α=0.93, respectively. Good convergence (r=0.807; p<0.001) was shown by the scores between the two scales (ITQ and TQ). Conclusion: The Spanish version of the ITQ shows good psychometric properties and satisfactorily replicates the two-dimensional model of the original English version of the scale.

Psychological impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social distancing mandates on trauma survivors

ObjectiveDespite recognition that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created an unprecedented impact on global mental health, information on the psychological health among trauma survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic is rare. We sought to examine psychological outcomes among individuals with preexisting traumatic experiences during COVID-19. MethodsWe sampled 1 242 adults in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States under a state-issued Phase 1 stay-at-home mandate to examine associations between pre-pandemic trauma exposure as measured by the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) and anxiety and depression, as measured by the Patient Reported Outcome Scale Anxiety and Depression (PROMIS-A and PROMIS-D). ResultsPre-pandemic trauma exposure among the sample was reported, with 281 (22.6%) participants identifying as experiencing one trauma, 209 (16.8%) reporting two, and 468 (37.7%) reporting three or more. As reported experiences of trauma increased, so did participant anxiety and depressive symptomatology. One-way Analysis of Variance indicated that reported trauma was significantly positively correlated with anxiety (P < 0.01) and depressive symptomatology (P < 0.01). ConclusionFindings highlight the immense psychological toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically with individuals who were previously exposed to trauma. Public health officials can encourage physicians, employers, and universities to screen patients, employees, and students to assess previous trauma, psychological functioning, and risk factors. Collaboration between physicians and mental health providers including psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and social workers to provide evidence informed rapid coordination of care can better meet the global mental health crisis that is arising as a result of this unprecedented global trauma.

Childhood emotional abuse and motor impulsiveness among male violent inmates with antisocial personality disorder.

This study aimed to explore the relationship among childhood maltreatment, impulsiveness and antisocial personality through a questionnaire survey of violent male inmates. We found that the scores of inmates with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) in Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 item Short Form (CTQ-SF) and Barratt Impulsive Scale-11 (BIS-11) were higher than those in the Non-Antisocial personality group, and there was a significant correlation between the scores of CTQ-SF and BIS-11. We found that the interaction between impulsivity and childhood abuse predicts ASPD levels. Moreover, motor and non-planning impulsiveness played important roles in the observed differences in antisocial personality scores among the inmates who had experienced childhood maltreatment; motor impulsiveness was mainly related to emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse, while non-planning impulsiveness was mainly related to emotional neglect and physical neglect. These findings suggest that identifying and providing timely intervention for inmates with high impulsiveness who experienced maltreatment in childhood may also contribute to the prevention of violent behavior and to better prison management.

Incipient chronic traumatic encephalopathy in active American football players: neuropsychological assessment and brain perfusion measures

Background and aimsChronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative disease caused by repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because CTE can be definitely diagnosed only post-mortem, it would be important to explore clinical and radiological correlates of CTE and TBI. The aims of this study were to assess (1) the relationship between the neuropsychological profile of active American football players and the traumatic load; (2) whether traumatic brain injury associated with American football activity has a specific cerebral perfusion pattern; and (3) whether this perfusion pattern correlates with neuropsychological performances.MethodsIn 20 American football players [median age [25th–75th percentile] 25.0 [21.6–31.2] years, all males], we evaluated history, traumatic load and symptoms using the TraQ (Trauma Questionnaire), and cognitive performances on neuropsychological tests. Brain perfusion was estimated using arterial spin labeling MRI and compared to a group of 19 male age-matched (28.0 [24.8–32.3] years) healthy subjects.ResultsWe found different cognitive performances between American football players stratified according to field position and career length. Linemen had poorer executive, verbal, and visual performances; a career > 7 years was associated with poorer verbal fluency performances. American football players had statistically significant reduced cerebral blood flow values in sensory-motor areas in comparison with healthy controls. Poorer neuropsychological performances correlated with lower perfusion in specific brain areas.ConclusionsOur study seems to confirm that CTE in American football players is influenced by the field position and the career length, and correlates with lower cognitive performances linked to lower perfusion in specific brain areas.

Traumatic disclosures in the life stories of older Vietnam era veterans.

Eliciting life stories is an important component of person-centered care that may aid in understanding how an individual's unique background and narrative impacts their health. Such life stories, especially when gathered from older military Veterans, may include traumatic events, raising the urgency that clinicians be prepared to provide care that is trauma-informed and ensure Veteran's experiences are acknowledged and treated effectively. We examined the prevalence and type of potentially traumatic and/or adverse life events spontaneously shared by 231 older Veterans participating in a life story intervention while receiving care within the U.S. Veterans Health Administration system. Veteran life stories were extracted from the electronic medical record and deductive qualitative content analysis was used to code potentially traumatic or adverse life experiences based on a codebook adapted from the Brief Trauma Questionnaire and Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire. A majority (71.0%) of Veterans described at least one traumatic disclosure in their life story. Among narratives with a disclosure of any type, more than half (53.0%) included descriptions of combat trauma, 21.5% noted a history of life-threatening illness, and 9.5% reported having been in a serious accident. Fewer noted adverse childhood experiences (19.5%). Elicitation of life stories among older Veterans may advance person-centered care and life stories frequently include disclosure of potentially traumatic and/or adverse life events. These findings underscore the normative experience of traumatic events among older Veterans and highlight the importance of developing age-sensitive trauma-informed care competencies.