Prevalence of self-reported trauma in a sample of Iranian children is low and unrelated to parents’ education or current employment status

Abstract

Objective:In Western countries, the prevalence of childhood trauma (CT) ranges from 15 to 25%. CT might be indirectly associated with lower parental socioeconomic status and educational attainments. The aims of this cross-sectional study were fourfold: to assess prevalence of CT in a large sample of Iranian children; to compare the Iranian prevalence rates with those of Western countries; to explore gender-specific patterns; and to explore possible socioeconomic predictors.Method:The sample comprised 608 children (mean age 11.49 years, 51.5% females). All completed the Farsi version of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children. Additionally, parents reported on their current employment status and highest educational level.Results:Trauma symptoms were reported by 20 of 295 boys and 23 of 313 girls. The overall prevalence was 7.1%. Child-reported trauma symptoms were not associated with parents’ socioeconomic status or highest educational level. Compared to prevalence findings from U.S. national surveys (ranging from 15-25% of children and adolescents), the prevalence among 11- and 12-year-olds in the present study was considerably lower.Conclusions:The overall prevalence of reported trauma symptoms among a large sample of Iranian children was unrelated to parents’ socioeconomic status, and was lower than that reported in U.S. surveys.

<p>Dissociative Symptoms and Self-Reported Childhood and Current Trauma in Male Incarcerated People with Borderline Personality Disorder – Results from a Small Cross-Sectional Study in Iran</p>

“…The publication of Shamohammadi et al 25 satisfied all key criteria: Shamohammadi et al 25 run their study in 2018 and published the data in 2019 (criteria 1 and 3); they assessed a sample of Iranian 608 children (mean age: 11.5 years; 51.5% females) (criteria 2 and 5); participants completed anonymously the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children (criteria 4 and 6). Given this background, the decision to rely on the publication of Shamohammadi et al 25 was very well considered. Our second hypothesis anticipated an association between levels of dissociation and the prevalence rates for self-reported childhood and current/adulthood trauma.…”

“…First, following others, 17,19 we expected that childhood trauma would be more often reported by male incarcerated people with BPD, compared to normative data. 25 Second, following others, 19,22,23 we expected an association between levels of dissociation and the prevalence rates of self-reported childhood and current/adulthood trauma. Third, we treated as an exploratory research question whether age, civil status, levels of dissociation and the prevalence rates of self-reported childhood could predict current/adulthood self-reported trauma.…”

“…A one-sample t -test was computed to compare normative levels of childhood trauma (7.1% 25 ) with the occurrence of childhood trauma in the present sample. Pearson’s correlations were computed to determine associations between symptoms of dissociation (continuous variable), the sum of childhood and adulthood trauma (continuous variables), and participants’ age.…”

Epidemiological research in psychiatry: acting glocally

“…This partially explains the growing importance of the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry in the international context. The articles published in this issue represent a wide variety of countries, such as Argentina,8 Colombia,5 and Iran 9. The high quality of the work carried out by the editorial staff and reviewers is being recognized, and the vocation of the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry as a regional leader, championing local articles with global implications – hence the term glocal used in our title – becomes increasingly evident.…”

Childhood maltreatment and health outcomes

“…The present issue of the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry brings three important articles in the area of childhood maltreatment in the context of low and middle-income countries. Shamohammadi et al8 explored the prevalence of maltreatment and found a relatively low frequency (7.1%) of trauma symptoms among 11-12 year old children from Iran. In Brazil, Diehl et al9 examined adult patients seeking treatment for drug abuse and found a high prevalence of reported physical and sexual abuse, as well as an association between childhood maltreatment and later risky sexual behavior in adulthood.…”