Childhood Adversity, Proximal Stressors and PTSD Among People with Severe Mental Illness: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of this exploratory study is to: (1) assess prevalence of childhood adversities and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (2) assess their association, and; (3) explore whether proximal sources of stress affect this relationship and/or have an association with PTSD among people with severe and persistent psychological disorders. Using data from 141 respondents, we assess the extent to which individuals in this population experienced 17 PTSD symptoms, various correlates to probable PTSD, and the most relevant of these factors in a multivariate logistic regression. Overall, 27% of the participants met study criteria for probable PTSD and each symptom was reported by at least 18% of the sample. Multivariate logistic regression models indicated that interpersonal conflict and being a victim of a crime were significantly related to probable PTSD. We discuss these findings in relation to treatment and course of disease for people suffering from severe and persistent mental illness experiencing a traumatic event.