Posttraumatic stress and dissociative symptoms among adolescents : prevalence, persistence, and association with depression after 1 year

Abstract

Background: Previous studies showed that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociation are common trauma-related mental health problems. Aims: This study examined their prevalence, long-term persistence, and association with depression among adolescents in the general population. Methods: We assessed trauma exposure, PTSD, dissociation, and depression in a sample of 1,359 secondary school students in China at two timepoints 1 year apart. Results: Of all participants, 19.0% had either or both probable PTSD and dissociative symptoms at baseline; 52.1% of participants with probable depression presented with co-occurring trauma-related symptoms. The 1-year persistence rate for probable PTSD and dissociative symptoms was 47% and 36.1%, respectively. After controlling for demographic variables and baseline depressive symptoms, baseline PTSD symptoms significantly predicted depressive symptoms at follow-up (β = .208, p < .001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the limited literature on PTSD and dissociative symptoms in general samples of adolescents, providing important data regarding their prevalence, persistence, and association with depressive symptoms. The results also support the demoralization model. Trauma-related symptoms are prevalent among young people and are associated with more depressive symptoms over time. Early identification of PTSD and dissociation is important.