Childhood trauma and mental health

Question 1

What is childhood trauma?

Answer 1

A range of adverse experiences occurring between birth and approximately 17 years of age, including abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence

Childhood trauma includes experiences such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence, bullying, and exposure to severe events like war or natural disasters.

Question 2

What are the types of childhood trauma?

Answer 2

• Sexual abuse
• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Neglect (physical and emotional)
• Exposure to domestic/family violence or community violence
• Bullying by peers or siblings
• Exposure to war, slavery, or trafficking

These categories encompass various forms of trauma that can impact a child’s development and mental health.

Question 3

What percentage of children experience penetrative sexual abuse in high-income countries?

Answer 3

5-10%

This statistic indicates the prevalence of severe forms of childhood trauma in developed nations.

Question 4

What are the gender differences in reported childhood sexual abuse?

Answer 4

• 20% of women report childhood sexual abuse
• 5-10% of men report childhood sexual abuse

These figures highlight the disparity in experiences of sexual abuse between genders.

Question 5

What factors influence the impact of childhood trauma?

Answer 5

• Proximity of the event
• Level of intrusion
• Duration and frequency
• Feelings of uncontrollability/loss
• Poly-victimization

Each of these factors can exacerbate the effects of trauma on a child’s mental health.

Question 6

What is infantile amnesia?

Answer 6

The inability to remember events that occurred before the age of 2, despite potential lasting effects

This phenomenon suggests that even unremembered trauma can have significant impacts on individuals.

Question 7

What are the methods of assessing childhood trauma?

Answer 7

• Individual reports
• Documented reports
• Observation
• Retrospective assessment

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, affecting the reliability and completeness of trauma assessment.

Advantage - objective measurement

Disadvantages – low reporting and access to map treatment case and tendency for bias recalling childhood trauma when the person is an adult

Question 8

What mental health problems are associated with childhood trauma?

Answer 8

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Fishertown 2010 maternal and paternal physical and emotional abuse sexual abuse significantly increase the risk of psychotic disorders
* Depression
* Psychosis
* Substance abuse
* Personality disorders
* Suicide attempts

Childhood trauma is linked to a broad spectrum of mental health issues, emphasizing the need for early intervention.

Question 9

What is the dose-response effect in relation to childhood trauma?

Answer 9

The more frequent or severe the trauma, the greater the risk of mental health issues

This relationship highlights the cumulative impact of trauma on mental health.

Question 10

How does childhood trauma affect the brain’s stress response system?

Answer 10

It can lead to dysregulation of the HPA axis, as there is too much of a release of adrenaline from the pituitary gland , affecting long-term stress response

Such dysregulation can contribute to various psychiatric disorders in adulthood.- particularly affecting girls

Question 11

What is the role of epigenetics in childhood trauma?

Answer 11

Exposure to trauma can lead to changes in DNA expression without altering the genetic code, influencing mental health outcomes

This process, known as DNA methylation, is a key mechanism linking trauma to mental health issues.

Question 12

What protective factors can buffer against the effects of childhood trauma?

Answer 12

• Supportive family relationships
• Positive school experiences
• Community involvement

These factors can mitigate the negative impact of trauma on mental health.

Question 13

True or False: All individuals who experience childhood trauma will develop mental health disorders.

Answer 13

False

The effects of childhood trauma vary, and some individuals may not develop mental health issues despite similar experiences.

Question 14

Fill in the blank: The timing of trauma exposure is crucial in determining its _______.

Answer 14

[impact]

The age at which trauma occurs can significantly influence mental health outcomes later in life.

Question 15

What are gene-environment interactions in the context of childhood trauma?

Answer 15

• Passive
• Active
• Evocative

These interactions illustrate how genetic predispositions and environmental factors can influence the experience and effects of trauma.

Question 16

What is the primary focus of the study by Danese et al. (2011)?

Answer 16

Biological embedding of stress through inflammation processes in childhood

This study discusses how stress in childhood can lead to biological changes that may affect mental health later in life.

Question 17

What are the key factors examined in Fisher et al. (2010) regarding childhood adversity?

Answer 17

Type, timing, and frequency of exposure to childhood adversity

The study explores how these factors relate to adult psychotic disorders.

Question 18

What does Gilbert et al. (2009) address concerning child maltreatment?

Answer 18

Burden and consequences of child maltreatment in high-income countries

The study emphasizes the significant impact of child maltreatment on individuals and society.

Question 19

What relationship is explored in Kelleher et al. (2013)?

Answer 19

Childhood trauma and psychosis in a prospective cohort study

It investigates the cause, effect, and directionality between childhood trauma and the development of psychosis.

Question 20

What interaction does Newbury et al. (2018b) study in relation to psychotic experiences?

Answer 20

Neighborhood adversity and crime victimization

The study looks at how these factors interact to predict the occurrence of psychotic experiences.

Question 21

True or False: The study by Kelleher et al. (2013) provides evidence that all childhood traumas lead to psychosis.

Answer 21

False

The study emphasizes complexity in the relationship and does not claim that all traumas result in psychosis.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Gilbert et al. (2009) discusses the _______ of child maltreatment in high-income countries.

Answer 22

Burden

This refers to the social and individual consequences that arise from child maltreatment.

Question 23

List the authors of the study that discusses the impact of childhood adversity on adult psychotic disorder.

Answer 23

• Fisher, H. L.
• Jones, P. B.
• Fearon, P.
• Craig, T. K.
• Dazzan, P.
• Morgan, K.
• Hutchinson, G.
• Morgan, C.

This study includes a comprehensive list of researchers contributing to the findings.

Question 24

What did the associations with mental health problems by Newbury Hotel 2018 find?

Answer 24

Treatment associated with all types of mental health problems at age 18 regardless of whether the mouth treatment was reported perspectively or retrospectively

Perspective reports treatment are more strongly associated types of mental health problems such as depression on self injury