Table 1.
Prevalence of Exposure to Potentially Traumatic Experiences (PTEs) and of DSM-IV/CIDI Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A) (n=6,483).
| Lifetime PTE exposurea | Proportion of times the PTE was chosen as worst among those exposedb | Risk of lifetime PTSD among all those exposed to the PTEc | Lifetime PTSD among all who chose the PTE as worstd | 30-day PTSD among lifetime casese | 30-day PTSD among lifetime cases who chose the PTE as worstf | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | (se) | % | (se) | % | (se) | % | (se) | % | (se) | % | (se) | |
|
| ||||||||||||
| Any PTE | 61.8 | (0.9) | 100.0 | (0.0) | 7.6 | (0.6) | 7.6 | (0.6) | 33.0 | (4.6) | 33.0 | (4.6) |
| PTE type | ||||||||||||
| I. Interpersonal violence | ||||||||||||
| Kidnapped | 0.6 | (0.2) | 13.7 | (5.7) | 37.0 | (13.5) | — | —g | — | —g | — | —g |
| Physical abuse by caregiver | 2.0 | (0.3) | 39.3 | (8.1) | 25.2 | (6.0) | 31.0 | (9.8) | 45.8 | (14.8) | 53.6 | (25.8) |
| Physical assault by romantic partner | 1.3 | (0.4) | — | —g | 29.1 | (12.5) | — | —g | 30.2 | (12.2) | — | —g |
| Other physical assault | 5.2 | (0.4) | 40.2 | (6.0) | 11.5 | (2.9) | — | —g | 50.5 | (16.8) | — | —g |
| Mugged/threatened with weapon | 7.6 | (0.7) | 29.7 | (2.3) | 11.5 | (2.1) | — | —g | 38.6 | (11.0) | 88.2 | (6.6) |
| Rape | 2.5 | (0.3) | 36.7 | (5.7) | 39.3 | (5.5) | 41.1 | (7.4) | 44.7 | (9.0) | 48.9 | (10.2) |
| Sexual assault | 3.8 | (0.4) | 38.8 | (4.4) | 31.3 | (4.2) | 30.8 | (7.5) | 29.2 | (7.5) | — | —g |
| Stalked | 4.4 | (0.5) | 29.1 | (4.9) | 19.7 | (4.4) | 9.2 | (3.7) | 24.0 | (7.1) | — | —g |
| Witnessed domestic violence | 7.5 | (0.5) | 42.8 | (3.0) | 15.6 | (2.3) | 7.1 | (2.5) | 40.1 | (10.3) | — | —g |
| II. Accidents | ||||||||||||
| Automobile accident | 7.8 | (0.6) | 52.8 | (2.6) | 13.0 | (2.6) | 7.1 | (2.5) | 24.0 | (9.1) | — | —g |
| Other life-threatening accident | 7.9 | (0.5) | 42.6 | (3.1) | 10.3 | (2.2) | 3.7 | (1.6) | 47.1 | (12.7) | — | —g |
| Man-made/natural disaster | 14.8 | (0.9) | 47.1 | (2.4) | 6.5 | (1.5) | — | —g | — | —g | — | —g |
| Life-threatening illness | 6.2 | (0.4) | 44.0 | (3.0) | 11.4 | (2.7) | — | —g | 29.7 | (11.9) | — | —g |
| Accidentally harmed others | 1.0 | (0.2) | 20.0 | (8.3) | — | —g | — | —g | — | —g | . | . |
| III. Network/witnessing | ||||||||||||
| Unexpected death of loved one | 28.2 | (0.8) | 63.0 | (1.8) | 10.3 | (1.2) | 8.7 | (1.4) | 34.9 | (6.3) | 36.6 | (6.5) |
| Traumatic event to loved one | 8.9 | (0.5) | 36.6 | (2.8) | 15.8 | (2.8) | — | —g | 42.3 | (8.3) | — | —g |
| Witnessed death/injury | 11.7 | (0.9) | 44.6 | (3.2) | 10.6 | (2.3) | 7.1 | (2.7) | 26.6 | (7.4) | — | —g |
| IV. Other | ||||||||||||
| Other event | 7.0 | (0.5) | 48.9 | (4.5) | 13.3 | (1.9) | 7.5 | (2.4) | 24.9 | (7.2) | 40.9 | (15.7) |
| Private event | 5.8 | (0.5) | 41.9 | (4.7) | 17.8 | (3.0) | 13.8 | (4.1) | 45.0 | (9.5) | 56.8 | (16.4) |
| χ217h = 329.8* | χ217h = 430.8* | χ210h = 64.3* | χ215h = 43.8* | χ25h = 31.5* | ||||||||
Note:
Prevalence estimates reported are the percent of the 6,483 youths in the total sample who ever experienced each of the PTEs
Respondents with a lifetime PTE were asked to select the worst PTE (i.e., the PTE associated with the worst symptoms). PTSD was queried in relation to this worst PTE. Respondents with only one PTE were asked about that PTE; respondents with multiple PTEs who were unable to identify a worst were assigned one using a random number generator.
Proportion of respondents that meet criteria for lifetime PTSD among those exposed to each PTE.
Proportion of respondents that meet criteria for lifetime PTSD among those who selected a PTE as their worst.
Proportion of respondents with 30-day PTSD among lifetime cases exposed to each PTE.
Proportion of respondents with 30-day PTSD among lifetime cases who selected a PTE as their worst.
Estimate not reported due to low precision.
χ2 tests were used to evaluate the significance of differences across PTEs in the probability that a given PTE would be chosen as worst among those exposed, in risk of lifetime PTSD among all those exposed to the PTE, and in 30-day prevalence of PTSD among lifetime cases, as information about lifetime exposure to all PTEs was used in these equations whether or not the PTE was selected as worst.
Significant at the .05 level, 2-sided test