A recent meta-analysis examines the role of psychological trauma as a risk factor for a host of psychiatric conditions. Searching publications from three prominent psychological databases, the authors considered systematic reviews and meta-analyses for inclusion, identifying 14 that met their criteria, covering findings from amid more than 16,000 case and 77,000 controls. The authors calculate pooled odds ratios, finding that experiencing childhood trauma increases the odds of a mental disorder by nearly 200 percent. Links between physical abuse or sexual abuse and mental disorders were especially robust. The authors suggest that trauma’s widely influential effects underscore the need to prevent early trauma and ensure trauma-informed care is centered in early intervention and psychiatric settings.
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