Stressful childhood experiences (SCE) are associated with a variety of health and social problems. In people with severe mental illness (SMI) traumatic childhood experiences have been linked to more severe and treatment refractory forms of psychiatric symptoms, including psychotic symptoms. This study evaluates the use of psychotropic medication groups in a population of people with SMI and SCE, testing the association between SCE and prescription medication in an SMI population.

Many children face adversity in their first years of life and are sometimes forced to a life without childhood. This is the case of some children in street situations. The stress of wandering has an impact on their psychological and emotional development and also on their identification process.

This study explored the effects of bullying victimization (BV), as a Type II traumatic stressor, on intelligence quotient (IQ), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and complex PTSD symptoms. Participants were 390 African American and Iraqi refugee adolescents. Measures of BV, cumulative life trauma, PTSD, discrimination, and IQ were administered. Correlational, multilevel regression, and path analyses were conducted.

Exposure to multiple, chronic interpersonal traumas, often referred to as complex trauma exposure, can impact several areas of mental health need and functioning. A comprehensive assessment of needs and strengths is essential to making appropriate service recommendations. This study assessed 4,272 youth within the Illinois child welfare system using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS). A significant proportion of this sample had multiple/chronic caregiver-related trauma.