Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms among men and women in a substance use and mental health treatment court sample

Abstract

This study examines (1) traumatic incident exposure (TIE) and PTSD prevalence among treatment court clients (N = 294), (2) the relationship between TIE and PTSD symptomatology, (3) the psychometric properties of employed instruments. The study employed latent class analysis and bivariable analyses. TIE presented latent class patterns based on gender, and these latent classes varied in PTSD symptomatology. Having recent or childhood TIE was associated with higher levels of PTSD symptomatology. The PCL-C has good internal consistency and concurrent validity with another PTSD screener. Recommendations for future research and implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• Victimization
• drug court
• gender
• post-traumatic stress
• trauma

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Cuyahoga County Court of Commons Pleas Recovery Court Team, The Honorable Judge Joan Synenberg, Recovery Court Judge, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Administration, Cuyahoga County Corrections Planning Board, The Greater Cleveland Municipal Court Drug Court Team, The Honorable Lauren Moore, Drug Court Judge, and the City of Cleveland Municipal Court Administration.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded in part by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Use Treatment (CSAT) Project Titles and Grant Numbers Cuyahoga County Drug Court Expansion 1H79TI025925-01, Cuyahoga County Drug Court Expansion 5H79TI025925-02; REVISED and Greater Treatment Drug Court 1H79TI025119-01.