Patterns of childhood trauma and psychopathology among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant children

Sex Differences in Patterns of Childhood Traumatic Experiences in Chinese Rural-To-Urban Migrant Children

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents are likely to be exposed to various types of childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs) with gender-specific patterns. Rural-to-urban migrant children have been demonstrated a greater risk of CTE exposure than local children. However, no study has investigated sex differences in the patterns of CTEs and predictive factors among Chinese children.

METHODS

A large-scale questionnaire survey of rural-to-urban migrant children (N = 16,140) was conducted among primary and junior high schools in Beijing. Childhood trauma history, including interpersonal violence, vicarious trauma, accidents and injuries was measured. Demographic variables and social support were also examined. Latent class analysis (LCA) was utilized to examine patterns of childhood trauma, and logistic regression was used to examine predictors.

RESULTS

Four classes of CTEs were found among both boys and girls, labeled low trauma exposure, vicarious trauma exposure, domestic violence exposure, and multiple trauma exposure. The possibility of various CTEs in the four CTE patterns was higher among boys than girls. Sex differences also manifested in predictors of childhood trauma patterns.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings shed light on sex differences in CTE patterns and predictive factors in Chinese rural-to-urban migrant children, suggesting that trauma history should be considered along with sex, and sex-specific prevention and treatment programs should be developed.

The Prevalence, Patterns and Correlates of Childhood Trauma Exposure in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young People in Northern Ireland

PURPOSE

Childhood trauma (CT) exposure is common, with many young people affected by multiple co-occurring traumas.

METHODS

Participants were a representative sample of 11-19-year-olds (n = 1293), who participated in the largest ever representative survey of youth mental health in Northern Ireland (NI) - the NI Youth Wellbeing Prevalence Survey 2020. This study used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify typologies that were most representative of trauma experience and co-occurrence among young people living in NI. Demographic, parental and deprivation variables were then used within a multinomial logistic regression analysis to describe trauma class membership.

RESULTS

Over 35% (n = 478) of participants reported exposure to at least one CT, with over 50% (n = 259) of trauma-exposed young people reporting multiple trauma exposure. LCA results provided support for a three-class model; 'low-exposure', 'moderate-exposure: community-victimization' and 'high-exposure: sexual-trauma'. While none of the child, parental or familial covariates differentiated members of the 'moderate-exposure: community-victimization' from 'low-exposure', those in 'high-exposure: sexual-trauma' were over four and a half times more likely to belong to a family in receipt of income benefits and over ten times more likely to have experienced some form of out-of-home care.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the presence of three distinct trauma classes in the NI adolescent population. In particular, this study identifies a small minority of young people who have experienced multiple CT's, including sexually based traumas, with these traumas most likely to have occurred in the context of out-of-home care and familial poverty.

Unintentional injuries and risk behaviours of internal migrant children in southern China: A cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of unintentional injuries and to identify factors mediating the risk of unintentional injuries among internal migrant children in southern China using self-reported data collected between April 2016 and March 2017. Logistic regression models were used to identify significant risk factors for unintentional injuries among the internal migrant children. The prevalence of self-reported unintentional injuries among internal migrant children in this study was 19.15%. Internal migrant children exhibiting antisocial (antisocial behaviour vs. no behaviour problems, OR = 2.162, 95% CI: 1.194-3.915, p = .011) and neurotic behaviours (neurotic behaviour vs. no behaviour problems, OR = 2.064, 95% CI: 1.098-3.880, p = .024) were more likely to report unintentional injuries. There was a positive correlation between the number of risk behaviours and the prevalence of unintentional injuries among non-migrant and internal migrant children. Children's behavioural problems were closely related to unintentional injuries and may be useful as predictors of unintentional injuries in children.

Prevalence and predictors of ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder and complex PTSD in young people

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence, construct validity, risk factors and psychopathological correlates associated with ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) as measured by the International Trauma Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ITQ-CA) were assessed in a sample of young people from Northern Ireland.

METHOD

Participants were trauma-exposed 11-19-year-olds (N = 507) who participated in the Northern Ireland Youth Wellbeing Prevalence Survey (YWS-NI, 2020). Factor mixture modelling (FMM) was used to test the latent structure of the ITQ-CA. Risk-factors and psychopathological correlates associated with latent class membership, and ICD-11diagnostic status, were also investigated.

RESULTS

More participants met the ITQ-CA criteria for CPTSD (3.4%, n = 44) than PTSD (1.5%, n = 19). A second-order FMM comprising a 'partial-PTSD class', a 'CPTSD class', a 'DSO class' and a 'low symptom endorsement class' was the best-fitting model. Younger age and cumulative trauma were risk factors for all trauma classes. Female gender and two or more violent traumas were significant predictors of the 'PTSD' and 'CPTSD' classes, while single sexual trauma was a significant predictor of the 'DSO' and 'CPTSD' classes. Two or more sexual traumas was a unique predictor of 'CPTSD class', while two or more vicarious traumas was a unique predictor of 'DSO class'. The 'CPTSD' class displayed the most notable comorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that CPTSD may be more prevalent than PTSD in children and young people. Support for the ICD-11 conceptualisation of CPTSD as representing a unique diagnostic construct was supported using FMM, with findings indicating trauma symptom class-specific risk profiles.

Depression Mediates the Relationship between Childhood Trauma and Internet Addiction in Female but Not Male Chinese Adolescents and Young Adults

Internet addiction is associated with a range of psychological risk factors such as childhood trauma and depression. Studies have also suggested sex differences in internet and other behavioral addictions. However, it remains unclear how childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction inter-relate differently between the sexes. A total of 1749 adolescents and young adults aged 12–27 participated in a survey of sociodemographic characteristics and standardized assessments to evaluate internet addiction (Internet Addiction Test), childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory). Mediation and path analyses were used to examine the relationship between childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction. Internet-addicted females relative to males showed more severe depression but the control participants showed the opposite. Childhood trauma was associated with depression for both internet-addicted males and females; however, internet-addicted females but not males showed significant associations between depression and the severity of internet addiction as well as between childhood trauma and the severity of internet addiction. Further, in females, depression mediated the correlations between all types of childhood trauma and the severity of internet addiction. A path analysis suggested that sexual abuse and emotional neglect contributed most significantly to internet addiction when all types of childhood trauma were examined in one model. The findings suggest sex differences in the relationship between childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction. Childhood trauma contributes to internet addiction through depression only in females. The findings may guide future prevention and intervention strategies of internet addiction.

Childhood Trauma and Psychological Distress: A Serial Mediation Model among Chinese Adolescents

The consequence of childhood trauma may last for a long time. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of childhood trauma on general distress among Chinese adolescents and explore the potential mediating roles of social support and family functioning in the childhood trauma-general distress linkage. A total of 2139 valid questionnaires were collected from two high schools in southeast China. Participants were asked to complete the questionnaires measuring childhood trauma, social support, family functioning, and general distress. Pathway analysis was conducted by using SPSS AMOS 24.0 and PROCESS Macro for SPSS 3.5. Results showed that childhood trauma was positively associated with general distress among Chinese adolescents. Social support and family functioning independently and serially mediated the linkage of childhood trauma and general distress. These findings confirmed and complemented the ecological system theory of human development and the multisystem developmental framework for resilience. Furthermore, these findings indicated that the mental and emotional problems of adolescents who had childhood trauma were not merely issues of adolescents themselves, but concerns of the whole system and environment.