Association between PTSD symptoms and sigma power during stage 2 sleep in North Korean refugees with traumatic experience.

Traumatic events can affect children and adolescents in very unique and sometimes complex ways. Pediatricians in primary care settings are uniquely positioned to identify the influence traumatic experiences have upon their patients' general functioning and potential development of psychopathology. Thus, it is of vital importance for pediatricians to be able to recognize these influences and coordinate appropriate care for children and adolescents who are either presenting emerging symptoms or experiencing more definitive posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To support these efforts, this article provides a review of key clinical features of PTSD and related conditions that are commonly presented in primary care, as well as best practices for screening, treatment, and coordination of care. By improving pediatricians' knowledge and awareness of common childhood reactions to adverse and traumatic experiences, the goal of this review is to promote a broader scope of trauma-informed practice considerations that will help clinicians prevent symptom progression and the development of PTSD for their child and adolescent patients.

Echoes of trauma: The impact of hippocampal impairments on reward and motivational dysfunction in psychosis.

While the factors facilitating and compromising stress coping by civilians in an active war zone and those who have fled it are critical to the experiences of trauma, they are underexplored, which the current article aims to address. Between March 23 and May 15, 2023, 122 Ukraine-based and 132 Poland-based Ukrainian participants completed a survey measuring different aspects of trauma, social beliefs, and coping. Compared to the war zone civilians, the Poland-based refugees scored significantly higher in terms of general war repercussions, peritraumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, loneliness, anxiety about the loved ones, and chemical/biological/missile/drone attack anxiety. While no differences between them were found in terms of other factors, regression and structural equation model analyses suggest that the general well-being was compromised in both samples by lower sensation seeking, higher loneliness, higher fantasy proneness, lower expected support from the West, and higher expected Chinese and Iranian support for Russia. Religiosity did not play a role. While the role of perceived social support (at the levels of friends and family) turned out to be limited, the (broader) expected support (from the West) played a more significant role. Additionally, our exploratory Civilian War Trauma Structural Equation Model suggests that anxiety interacts with the individual's overall vulnerability, thus exacerbating the psychological impact of war. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Underdiagnosis of PTSD in eating disorders?

The development of an integrative surf therapy program for trauma survivors: A conceptual model and case illustration.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of hospital blunt intestinal injury (BInI) trauma volume on time to surgery in patients with BInI. The diagnosis of BInI is challenging, even for trauma experts, leading to frequent delays in necessary surgical intervention. The 2017-2020 ACS-TQIP database was used to identify patients 18 years or older with full-thickness ileal, jejunal, or colonic perforation secondary to blunt trauma. Hospitals were stratified by the annual volume of BInI. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and injury characteristics/severity was used to study the impact of hospital trauma volume on delayed surgery (>24 hours) and outcomes (eg, mortality, sepsis). Sensitivity analyses were performed classifying hospitals by their volume of (1) blunt trauma and (2) all trauma admissions. Out of a total of 4,005,762 trauma patients, 3954 were included: 1397 (35.3%) in low BInI volume, 1373 (34.7%) in medium BInI volume, and 1184 (30%) in high BInI volume hospitals. The mean time to surgery was 18 ± 46 hours in low-volume compared with 15 ± 45 hours in high-volume hospitals ( P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, high BInI volume was independently associated with early surgery [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for delayed surgery: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.53-0.88] and a 42% lower risk of post-injury sepsis (aOR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.91) compared with low BInI volume. High blunt trauma and all trauma hospital volumes were similarly associated with early surgery (aOR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.51-0.84; aOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51-0.85, respectively). High trauma hospital volume is independently associated with prompt surgical intervention and improved outcomes in patients with BInI. These findings highlight the importance of clinical trauma experience and available resources for trauma care in early diagnosis and management of the rare and tricky intestinal injuries.

ABSTRACT In this article, we explore the lived experiences of trauma among male mineworkers and the possibilities for healing and transformation after the Marikana massacre. Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with mineworkers who participated in or witnessed the 2012 Marikana strike. Participants described enduring trauma after police killed 34 and injured many mineworkers, with traumatic memories, recurring nightmares, and ongoing fear continuing to affect their lives. They emphasised the need for healing through culturally meaningful and collective practices, including traditional healing rituals, communication with the spirits of the deceased, and the acknowledgement of the dead as ancestors. Participants also highlighted the importance of commemorating the massacre and preserving the koppie as a memorial site to honour those who died. In addition, they viewed an apology and acknowledgement of wrongdoing from the ANC-led government as central to healing and closure. The article argues that trauma in Marikana must be understood through a decolonial trauma lens that recognises historical violence, structural inequality, spirituality, communal memory, and culturally appropriate forms of healing.

ABSTRACT Trauma-informed approaches are increasing in educational settings, yet experiential evidence from those most affected remains limited. This study explored how secondary Special Educational Needs (SEN) students, staff, and caregivers experience a whole-school trauma-informed approach. Trauma-informed approach refers to educational practises that prioritise safety, relational support and responsiveness to experiences of trauma. A cross-sectional qualitative cohort design was employed in a London-based SEN secondary school implementing a trauma-informed model. Single-episode, semi-structured interviews with students, staff, and caregivers were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Three themes were generated: ‘A Culture of Emotional Openness’, ‘Dismantling Ingrained Beliefs’, and ‘Enduring Systemic Strain’, alongside six subthemes. Findings indicated positive changes in emotional regulation, engagement with learning, and trust in educational institutions for SEN students with associated reductions in caregiver stress and increased staff fulfilment. However, engagement in the approach created emotional and physical demands for staff, underscoring the complexity of relationally intensive practice. These findings contribute rare, experience-based evidence from key stakeholders and illustrate both the potential benefits and limitations of trauma-informed approaches in SEN education. The study provides insight for educators, policymakers, and health professionals, emphasising the need for careful implementation, sustained support, and continued research that centres those disproportionately affected.

Purpose Kinesiophobia is a major barrier to post-stroke rehabilitation, yet lived experience and support needs of stroke survivors with limb dysfunction remain poorly understood. This study explored the experiences, coping responses, and support needs related to kinesiophobia in this population. Materials and Methods : A phenomenological qualitative design was adopted. Fifteen stroke survivors with clinically significant kinesiophobia were recruited using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method, guided by the fear-avoidance model. Results Three overarching themes were identified. The first theme described the development and reinforcement of kinesiophobia, driven by post-stroke physiological changes, distorted bodily perceptions, fear generalization following traumatic experiences, and caregiver overprotection. The second theme captured coping strategies, including active movement avoidance, reliance on external support for safety, and cognitive–behavioral adjustment that enabled some participants to continue rehabilitation despite fear. The third theme reflected external support needs and challenges, particularly insufficient professional guidance after discharge, fragmented family and social support, and financial constraints, which contributed to uncertainty and reduced rehabilitation participation. Conclusions Kinesiophobia among stroke survivors with limb dysfunction is shaped by interacting physical, psychological, and social experiences. Addressing these dimensions may inform future assessment frameworks and rehabilitation approaches.

Yoga is rapidly gaining popularity as a mind-body intervention with notable benefits on both physical and mental health for survivors of traumatic experiences, such as human trafficking. Among trauma survivors, yoga is associated with significant improvements in psychological symptoms and social functioning. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms through which mind-body practices improve social functioning. In this study, we assessed changes in perceived social support and compassion among female human trafficking survivors (N = 10) in Kampala, Uganda, who participated in a mind-body intervention in a shelter setting. Quantitative survey measures indicate increases, though not statistically significant, in perceived social support and compassion toward others. We also conducted a qualitative analysis of interviews with intervention participants. Qualitative findings highlight the importance of having structured opportunities to interact with fellow survivors and opportunities to discuss prior traumatic experiences that may or may not have been related to human trafficking. Findings from this study have important implications for the utilization of mind-body interventions among trauma survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

INTRODUCTIONTraumatic birth experiences are increasingly recognized as a significant issue in maternity care. While many studies focus on the perspectives of birthing persons, little is known about how healthcare providers perceive the causes of traumatic births and possible strategies to prevent them. This study explores obstetric care providers’ perceptions of factors contributing to traumatic birth experiences and their suggestions for improving trauma sensitive obstetric care.METHODSA convergent parallel mixed methods design was used. An online survey among obstetric care providers in Germany was conducted between October 2024 and February 2025 (n=102). Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and using logistic regression models. In addition, four expert interviews were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings from both strands were integrated during interpretation.RESULTSMost respondents defined traumatic birth experiences primarily through loss of control (85.3%) and negative emotions (75.5%). Lack of communication and information was identified as the most important contributing factor (97.1%), followed by lack of emotional support (89.2%). Emotional support was rated as the most important preventive measure (mean=4.86; SD=0.51). The main barriers to trauma sensitive care were lack of time (mean=4.52; SD=0.81) and staff shortages (mean=4.35; SD=0.83). Interview findings highlighted structural challenges, the importance of reflective practice among caregivers, and the need for systematic training in trauma sensitive communication.CONCLUSIONSThe findings highlight the need to strengthen trauma sensitive approaches in obstetric care through improved communication, emotional support, and shared decision making. In addition to structural improvements such as adequate staffing, regular training and reflective practice among providers may help reduce traumatic birth experiences.

As forced displacement and migration reach unprecedented levels globally, the ways in which parents communicate stories of trauma, displacement, and post-migration adversities to their children offer unique insight into how these experiences affect forcibly displaced families. The present study aimed to explore how mothers communicate with their children about their experiences of trauma, displacement, and mental health whilst seeking International Protection in Ireland. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 mothers who had children aged between four and 17 years. All mothers were applicants for, or recipients of, International Protection in Ireland. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two superordinate themes were developed from the analysis. 'Guarding communication' occurred when mothers used strategies including avoiding certain topics of conversation, silencing their children, and withholding information from their children. 'Grappling with communication' occurred when mothers sought to be child centred yet doubted themselves and were inconsistent in how they communicated with their children. Mothers do not adopt one strategy for communicating with their children. Rather, communication was fluid and dynamic as mothers oscillated between silence and narration. The findings show how difficult it can be for mothers to tell their narratives to their children, and have implications for the provision of therapeutic support for parents and families. What matters most may be to support mothers' agency in choosing the manner, timing, and content of their communication with their children.

Suicide caused by depression in adolescents is a major global public health challenge, but the assessment of suicide risk in this population remains inadequate. This study aims to use network analysis to examine the interrelationships between suicide risk, childhood abuse, depression, hopelessness, and social support in treatment-naïve adolescent depression patients. The study included 518 treatment-naïve adolescent depression patients aged 10-18 (393 females and 125 males). General patient information was collected, and assessments were conducted using the Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Adolescent Social Support Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Beck Hopelessness Scale. Network analysis was performed using R language to examine the correlations between various factors, and the centrality and stability of the network structure were tested. In this network structure, emotional abuse showed the strongest edge with suicide risk. Furthermore, hopelessness, sleep duration, and depression were also linked to suicide risk. Childhood trauma experiences, especially emotional abuse, are strongly associated with suicide risk in treatment-naïve adolescent depression patients. This study has been registered with the China Clinical Trials Registry in (Registration No. ChiCTR2200064623; Registration Status: Prospective registration)13/10/2022. URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=175865.

Iowa farmers face a host of financial, environmental, and community threats that can be described as potentially traumatic. Such experiences include significant droughts, floods, derechos, on-farm injuries, the farm crisis of the 1980s, declining rural communities, high levels of debt, and financial stress caused by boom-and-bust markets and increasing dependence on inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides. Trauma research and social-psychological theories of behavior suggest that these potentially traumatic experiences can have long-lasting effects on farmer well-being as well as on-farm decision-making, including conservation practice adoption. To quantitatively investigate this relationship, this study utilized data from two waves of the longitudinal Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll (IFRLP) survey. A question set was developed for the 2022 survey asking farmers about whether they had experienced several potentially traumatic farming experiences and the degree to which they were negatively impacted by them. Participants were also asked whether they had experienced common symptoms of trauma in response to these experiences (e.g., persistent mood changes, upsetting dreams, intrusive thoughts, etc.). These data were combined with data from the 2023 IFRLP that asked farmer participants about their adoption of various conservation practices. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between experiences potentially traumatic experiences and adoption of four conservation practices: cover crops, no-till, diverse crop rotations, and edge-of-field buffers, controlling for factors such as the presence of trauma symptoms, use of cost-share programs, receiving technical assistance, participation in watershed management activities, and farm and farmer demographics such as gross farm income, education level, etc. While most trauma variables were not significant, self-rated negative impacts from soil erosion were positively associated with farmer use of cover crops, and negative impacts from flooding were negatively associated with farmer use of no-till. Receiving cost-share and technical assistance were both positively associated with cover crop and no-till use. Because previous qualitative research has shown evidence of the effects of trauma on conservation practice adoption, future quantitative research should examine other potential direct or indirect effects that may more fully explain the relationships between potentially traumatic experiences and conservation behavior.

Interinstitutional coordination in responses to violence against women affects intervention quality and continuity and may increase secondary victimization. This article presents MaxApp, a web- and mobile-based prototype designed to support such coordination across services. The study adopted a qualitative tool-development design grounded in a participatory approach and comprised five phases: methodological planning, preliminary diagnosis, content development, tool design, and professional review. Two focus groups were conducted with 14 professionals from the social, healthcare, legal, and law-enforcement sectors in Pontevedra, Spain. The first identified coordination needs, barriers, and functional requirements; the second gathered professional appraisals of the tool’s structure, clarity, perceived usefulness, and suitability for practice following its development. Findings revealed fragmented access to information, duplicated interventions, repeated recounting of traumatic experiences, difficulties in case monitoring, and the need to protect data while enabling selective information sharing. These findings informed MaxApp’s design as a unified system for recording, monitoring, and sharing information among professionals. Participants considered that the tool could improve coordination, traceability, interdisciplinary communication, and documentation efficiency, while identifying areas requiring further refinement. As MaxApp remains a prototype, systematic usability testing and evaluation in real-world implementation settings are required to assess its functionality and practical impact in routine professional practice.

BackgroundPotentially traumatic events (PTEs), including socially contextualized adversities such as exclusion and discrimination, are common at the population level and associated with diverse mental health outcomes. Transdiagnostic process variables may help characterize how PTE indicators and different mental health outcomes are interrelated beyond disorder-specific frameworks.MethodsWe analyzed data from a population-based sample of 3,051 emerging adults to examine whether theoretically informed transdiagnostic psychological processes were statistically positioned between PTE indicators and mental health outcomes, including psychopathology, positive mental health, and resilience. Guided by transdiagnostic and dimensional frameworks, we used structural equation models to estimate cross-sectional indirect associations.ResultsThree higher-order transdiagnostic factors—cognitive-focused, emotional-focused, and social-focused processes—were identified. Emotional-focused processes accounted for the largest proportion of cross-sectional indirect associations across mental health outcomes. Among the examined PTEs, social exclusion showed the strongest and most consistent associations with mental health. Overall, the models accounted for more variance in internalizing symptoms than in externalizing symptoms or positive mental health outcomes.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the relevance of candidate transdiagnostic process variables for understanding mental health following exposure to adversity. By incorporating positive mental health and resilience outcomes, the results underscore the potential of targeting shared psychological processes—particularly emotional-focused mechanisms—for assessment, prevention, and early intervention in psychiatric practice.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-026-08302-8.

The Partition of India in 1947 remains one of the most traumatic events in Indian history, marked by mass displacement, communal violence, and the loss of countless innocent lives. While many works have examined women’s experiences of abduction, sexual violence, and trauma during Partition, less attention has been paid to the destruction of young women’s aspirations and imagined futures. Narinderjit Kaur’s short story “Who Killed Me,” published in The Icicle: A Collection of Short Stories, offers a powerful exploration of this neglected dimension of Partition. Through the experiences of two adolescent girls, Ameena and Nimmo, the story reveals how communal violence and patriarchal notions of honour work together to deny women agency and control over their lives. Rather than focusing solely on physical violence, Kaur highlights the loss of dreams, education, friendship, and self-determination. Drawing on Partition studies, feminist criticism, and trauma theory, this paper examines the interconnected themes of girlhood, honour, patriarchy, and resistance. It argues that the story can be read as a narrative of stolen futures in which the most devastating loss is not simply death itself, but the destruction of possibilities that never have the chance to be realised. By foregrounding the experiences of young girls, Kaur broadens our understanding of Partition and exposes the lasting impact of gendered violence on women’s ability to imagine and shape their own futures. Keywords: Partition, Narinderjit Kaur, gendered violence, honour, futurity, girlhood, patriarchy, trauma, women’s agency

Acute stress disorder (ASD) can impair combatants' short-term functioning and delay return-to-duty. This study's objective was to analyze patient- and injury-specific correlates of ASD following combat injury. This was a retrospective analysis of existing health data for 1,394 service members who sustained combat injuries in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and completed items on traumatic experiences on the post-deployment health assessment (PDHA). ASD status was defined as screening positive on PDHA items between 4 and 30 days postinjury per established criteria. Most patients (81%) sustained minor injuries caused by blast weaponry. Overall, 24% of patients (336 of 1,394) screened positive for ASD. In multivariable models, preinjury mental health diagnosis and mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) were associated with significantly higher rates of ASD. The prevalence ratio (PR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of ASD was 1.57, (CI = 1.26-1.68, P < .001 for mild TBI (vs no TBI). ASD also was associated with significantly higher PR for post-traumatic stress disorder during the first year postinjury. The present findings suggest a significant association between mild TBI and increased likelihood of later ASD following combat injury. The present results inform combat casualty care guidelines to include TBI as a factor to help identify ASD cases for appropriate treatment. The PDHA may provide a method for future research on ASD during the first 30 days following combat trauma.

Adopted adults may be at a higher risk of developing complex trauma symptoms due to early attachment ruptures caused by separating from caregivers and other potential early adverse childhood experiences. Critical consciousness, or interrogating systems of oppression, may mitigate trauma symptoms of powerlessness for marginalized groups by inspiring purposeful collective action. This study explored the association between critical consciousness (critical reflection, motivation, and action) and complex trauma symptoms from a national cross-sectional online survey of a racially diverse sample (N = 464) of adopted adults in the United States. The final regression model, which included demographic variables, adoption characteristics, traumatic experiences, and critical consciousness, explained 34.9% of complex trauma symptoms among adult adoptees in the sample, R² = .349, F(3, 355) = 5.630, p < .001, and critical consciousness accounted for 3.1% of the unique variance. Critical motivation, or a belief in one's ability to contribute to social change, was the only variable associated with lower complex trauma symptoms (β = -0.15, p = .019). Critical reflection, or a realization of societal inequality (β = .13, p = .037) and critical action, or political activism (β = .14, p = .004), were associated with higher trauma symptoms. Exploratory findings suggest critical consciousness of systemic oppression may be an important and complex factor to consider when addressing complex trauma symptoms among racially diverse clients who grew up outside of the "traditional" standard North American family (i.e., heterosexual, legally married couple with biological children). Findings suggest that aspects of critical consciousness may cause distress, but other aspects, such as critical motivation, may address feelings of powerlessness and be associated with lower complex trauma symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).