TY - JOUR
T1 - Patterns of victimization, suicide attempt, and posttraumatic stress disorder in Greenlandic adolescents: a latent class analysis
AU - Karsberg, Sidsel
AU - Armour, Cherie
AU - Elklit, Ask
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - AimThe current study had two main aims. The first was to identify groups of adolescents based on their similarity of responding across a number of victimizing and potentially traumatic events (PTEs). In doing so, we employed the statistical technique of Latent Class Analysis (LCA). The second aim was to assess the relationship between our resultant classes and the covariates of gender, suicide attempt, and PTSD.MethodsTwo hundred and sixty-nine Greenlandic school students, aged 12–18 (M = 15.4, SD = 1.84) were assessed for their level of exposure to PTEs. In addition, adolescents were assessed for the psychological impact of these events. A LCA was performed on seven binary indicators representing PTEs. Logistic regression was subsequently implemented to ascertain the relationships between latent classes and covariates.ResultsThree distinct classes were uncovered: a violence, neglect, and bullying class (class 1), a wide-ranging multiple PTE class (class 2), and a normative/baseline class (class 3). Notably, classes 1 and 2 were largely separated by the presence or absence of sexual PTEs. Individuals who reported having previously attempted suicide were almost six times more likely to be members of class 1 (OR = 5.97) and almost four times more likely to be members of class 2 (OR = 3.87) compared to the baseline class (class 3). Individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD were five times as likely to be members of class 1 and class 2 (OR = 5.09) compared to the baseline class. No significant associations were found between classes and gender.ConclusionThe results underline the complexity of the interplay between multiple victimization experiences, traumatization, and suicide attempts.
AB - AimThe current study had two main aims. The first was to identify groups of adolescents based on their similarity of responding across a number of victimizing and potentially traumatic events (PTEs). In doing so, we employed the statistical technique of Latent Class Analysis (LCA). The second aim was to assess the relationship between our resultant classes and the covariates of gender, suicide attempt, and PTSD.MethodsTwo hundred and sixty-nine Greenlandic school students, aged 12–18 (M = 15.4, SD = 1.84) were assessed for their level of exposure to PTEs. In addition, adolescents were assessed for the psychological impact of these events. A LCA was performed on seven binary indicators representing PTEs. Logistic regression was subsequently implemented to ascertain the relationships between latent classes and covariates.ResultsThree distinct classes were uncovered: a violence, neglect, and bullying class (class 1), a wide-ranging multiple PTE class (class 2), and a normative/baseline class (class 3). Notably, classes 1 and 2 were largely separated by the presence or absence of sexual PTEs. Individuals who reported having previously attempted suicide were almost six times more likely to be members of class 1 (OR = 5.97) and almost four times more likely to be members of class 2 (OR = 3.87) compared to the baseline class (class 3). Individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD were five times as likely to be members of class 1 and class 2 (OR = 5.09) compared to the baseline class. No significant associations were found between classes and gender.ConclusionThe results underline the complexity of the interplay between multiple victimization experiences, traumatization, and suicide attempts.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Victimization
KW - Co-occurring victimization types
KW - PTSD
KW - Suicidal behavior
U2 - 10.1007/s00127-014-0890-4
DO - 10.1007/s00127-014-0890-4
M3 - Article
VL - 49
SP - 1389
EP - 1399
JO - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
JF - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
SN - 0933-7954
IS - 9
ER -