Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Among Internally Displaced Persons In Mogadishu

Background Nearly three decades of conflict and frequent droughts and environmental hardships, have left 2.6 million of Somalis in displacement camps. Even though psychological impact of war and natural disasters are well documented, little is known about the unseen scars of psychological trauma in Internally displaced persons in Somalia. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression amongst internally displaced persons (IDPs), and examine association between displacement and these psychiatric conditions. Methodology A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 406 IDPs in Mogadishu. Harvard Trauma Questionnaire was used to determine levels of trauma exposure and PTSD, and Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 was used to estimate prevalence of depression. Multivariate and bivariate analysis was conducted to analyze the association of demographic and displacement variables on the outcomes of PTSD and depression. Results More than half (59%) of participants met the symptom criteria of depression, and nearly one third (32%) of respondents met the symptom criteria for PTSD. The most prevalent traumatic event was lack of food or water (80.2%). Important predictive factors in development of psychiatric morbidity were unemployment, cumulative traumatic exposure, frequency and duration of displacement. Conclusion The study revealed high levels of Depressive disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among internally displaced persons in Mogadishu. Furthermore, this study provided evidence to IDPs’ susceptibility to trauma exposure and lack of essential services and goods. Study also highlighted the importance of provision of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) service in IDP camps.

The Association Between Patterns of Trauma Exposure, Family Dysfunction, and Psychopathology Among Adolescent Females With Depressive Symptoms From Low-Income Contexts

Distinguishing profiles of trauma exposure among low-income adolescent females with depressive symptoms is important for understanding comorbidity, family relationships, and treatment. Specifically, child maltreatment is essential to examine in comparison to other traumas. Participants included 170 adolescent females (65.3% Black; 21.2% White; 13.5% other race; 14.1% Latina/x) with depressive symptoms and their primary caregiver from low-income families. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified three trauma classes. Probabilities of endorsing different subtypes of maltreatment (physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and sexual abuse), number of subtypes of maltreatment, and non-maltreatment traumas (accident, experiencing or witnessing physical assault, death or injury of loved one, medical trauma) varied among groups. Higher levels of family dysfunction and traumatic stress symptoms were reported in both classes with maltreatment exposure as compared to the class with only non-maltreatment trauma exposure. Findings have implications for family-focused interventions for maltreated adolescent females with depressive symptoms from low-income contexts.

How Trauma May Magnify Risk of Involuntary and False Confessions Among Adolescents

Empirical research on police interrogation has identified both personal and situational factors that increase criminal suspects’ vulnerability to involuntary, unreliable, or false confessions. Although trauma exposure is a widely documented phenomenon known to affect adolescents’ perceptions, judgments, and behaviors in a wide array of contexts (especially stressful contexts), trauma history remains largely unexamined by interrogation researchers and virtually ignored by the courts when analyzing a confession. This article argues that trauma may operate as an additional personal risk factor for involuntary and false confessions among adolescents by generating both additive and interactive effects beyond youths’ general, developmentally-driven vulnerabilities in police interrogations. First, we briefly review adolescent trauma symptomatology, emphasizing the heterogeneity of adolescents’ responses to trauma. Next, using Leo and Drizin’s (2010) “Three Errors” framework of police-induced false confessions, we systematically apply clinical findings to each of the three police errors—misclassification, coercion, and contamination—to outline the psychological mechanisms through which adolescents with trauma histories may be at increased risk for making involuntary or unreliable statements to police. Finally, we offer considerations for interrogation research, clinical forensic practice, police practices, and courtroom procedures that could deepen our understanding of trauma’s role in the interrogation room, improve the integrity of investigative and adjudicatory processes, and ultimately promote justice for adolescent suspects with trauma exposure.

The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events

Background Experiencing traumatic life events is associated with an increased risk of common mental disorders (CMDs), but studies investigating this association within Indigenous populations are limited. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate associations between trauma and CMDs after controlling for other exposures. Method Trauma exposures and CMD diagnoses were determined in a broadly representative sample of 544 Indigenous Australians, using a diagnostic clinical interview. Associations were determined by multivariate logistic regression. Results Trauma exposure independently predicted CMDs. After adjustment for potential confounders, trauma exposure was associated with a 4.01-fold increased risk of a diagnosis of a CMD in the past 12 months. The increased risks were 4.38-, 2.65- and 2.78-fold of having an anxiety disorder, mood disorder or a substance use disorder, respectively. Trauma exposure and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder was associated with a 4.53-fold increased risk of a diagnosis of a mood disorder, 2.47-fold increased risk of a diagnosis of a substance use disorder, and 3.58-fold increased risk of any diagnosis of a CMD, in the past 12 months. Experiencing both sexual and physical violence was associated with a 4.98-fold increased risk of a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder in the past 12 months. Conclusions Indigenous Australians experience significantly increased exposure to potentially harmful trauma compared with non-Indigenous Australians. Preventing and healing trauma exposure is paramount to reduce the high burden of CMDs in this population.