Prevalence of Civilian Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Representative National Sample of Women

Prevalence of crime and noncrime civilian traumatic events, lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD in the past 6 months were assessed in a sample of U.S. adult women ( N = 4,008). Random digit-dial telephone methods were used to identify study participants. Structured telephone inte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 1993-12, Vol.61 (6), p.984-991
Main Authors: Resnick, Heidi S, Kilpatrick, Dean G, Dansky, Bonnie S, Saunders, Benjamin E, Best, Connie L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Biological and medical sciences
Civilians
Crime
Crime - statistics & numerical data
Cross-Sectional Studies
Emotional Trauma
Female
Females
Homicide
Homicide - psychology
Homicide - statistics & numerical data
Human
Human Females
Humans
Incidence
Life Events
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Post traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Prevalence
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Rape
Rape - psychology
Rape - statistics & numerical data
Sexual Abuse
Social research
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
Stress Variables
United States - epidemiology
Victimization
Victims of Crime
Violence
Women
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Summary:Prevalence of crime and noncrime civilian traumatic events, lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD in the past 6 months were assessed in a sample of U.S. adult women ( N = 4,008). Random digit-dial telephone methods were used to identify study participants. Structured telephone interviews for assessment of specific crime or other traumatic event history and PTSD were conducted by trained female interviewers. Lifetime exposure to any type of traumatic event was 69%, whereas exposure to crimes that included sexual or aggravated assult or homicide of a close relative or friend occurred among 36%. Overall sample prevalence of PTSD was 12.3% lifetime and 4.6% within the past 6 months. The rate of PTSD was significantly higher among crime versus noncrime victims (25.8% vs. 9.4%). History of incidents that included direct threat to life or receipt of injury was a risk factor for PTSD. Findings are compared with data from other epidemiological studies. Results are discussed as they relate to PTSD etiology.
ISSN:0022-006X
1939-2117
DOI:10.1037/0022-006X.61.6.984