Traumatic Victimization, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicidal Ideation, and Substance Abuse Risk Among Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth

Abstract

Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent among youth involved in the juvenile justice system. However, the impact on functioning and risky behavior of different forms of psychological trauma in this population is not known. In a sample of 264 youth (73% boys) ages 10–17 years old admitted within the prior 24–72 hours to pretrial juvenile detention centers, 61% reported a history of psychological trauma. Physical abuse, domestic violence, and traumatic neglect were independently associated with suicide ideation and drug and alcohol abuse risk. Findings suggest that education and treatment models are needed to address the impact of victimization, neglect, loss, and accidental trauma on health risks such as suicidality and substance abuse among juvenile justice-involved youth.

Keywords:

• psychological trauma
• victimization
• loss
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• juvenile justice
• suicide risk
• substance abuse

Acknowledgements

The study was supported in part by a contract from the Connecticut State Court Support Services Division (CSSD) to the University of Connecticut School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, and by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH01889–01A1) to Julian Ford, Principal Investigator. The authors thank the Hon. Michael Mack, State of Connecticut, Judicial Branch, Deputy Chief Court Administrator, and CSSD colleagues Mr. William Carbone, Mr. Karl Alston, Mr. David May, Mr. Leo Arnone, Ms. Cathy Foley-Geib, Ms. Sandra Levay, and Ms. Jody Ortiz for their support of the study.