Yale University

Urban teens: Trauma, posttraumatic growth, and emotional distress among female adolescents.

TitleUrban teens: Trauma, posttraumatic growth, and emotional distress among female adolescents.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsIckovics, Jeannette R., Christina S. Meade, Trace S. Kershaw, Stephanie Milan, Jessica B. Lewis, and Kathleen A. Ethier
JournalJournal of consulting and clinical psychology
Volume74
Issue5
Pagination841-50
Date Published2006 Oct
ISSN0022-006X
KeywordsAdolescent, Adult, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Incidence, Life Change Events, Mood Disorders, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Urban Population
AbstractUrban teens face many traumas, with implications for potential growth and distress. This study examined traumatic events, posttraumatic growth, and emotional distress over 18 months among urban adolescent girls (N = 328). Objectives were to (a) describe types of traumatic events, (b) determine how type and timing of events relate to profiles of posttraumatic growth, and (c) prospectively examine effects of event type and posttraumatic growth on short- and long-term emotional distress with controls for pre-event distress. Results indicate that type of event was related to profiles of posttraumatic growth, but not with subsequent emotional distress. When baseline emotional distress was controlled, posttraumatic growth was associated with subsequent reductions in short- and long-term emotional distress. Implications for future research and clinical practice with adolescents are addressed.
DOI10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.841
Alternate JournalJ Consult Clin Psychol

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