DO MENTAL TRAUMAS IN CHILDHOOD PREDICT WORSE PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONINGIN ADULTHOOD

The aim of the study was to examine the importance of an objective men tal trauma experienced in childhood and adolescence (being born out of wedlock, parents' divorce before age 7, or leaving home before age 17 ) with regard to psychosocial coping in adulthood among 170 psychiatri c emergency consultation patients. All patients underwent a clinical p sychiatric examination. They also completed a 36-item General Health Q uestionnaire (GHQ), to evaluate the degree of psychic stress. Mental t rauma was found in 78 (46%) of the patients. There was no statistical difference in age, sex distribution, marital status, or capacity for w ork between the trauma and non-trauma (n = 92) groups. Those in the tr auma group had a higher GHQ score (p < 0.01) than those in the non-tra uma group. The main psychiatric diagnosis in the trauma group was a pe rsonality disorder, whereas in the non-trauma group it was a neurosis. At the time of the examination anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal though ts were commoner in the trauma group than in the others. The study res ults suggest that objective mental traumas during childhood and adoles cence are associated with an inability to use mature ways of coping du ring acute psychiatric problems in adulthood.