Adolescent distress in traumatic stress research: data from the National Survey of Adolescents-Replication

J Trauma Stress. 2011 Apr;24(2):226-9. doi: 10.1002/jts.20621. Epub 2011 Mar 15.

Abstract

Small numbers of adults report distress in response to traumatic stress surveys. Less is known about adolescent research participants. We examined distress in response to a survey on traumatic stress using data from the National Survey of Adolescents-Replication, a nationally representative sample of 3,614 youth aged 12-17 years. Although 204 (5.7%) adolescents found some questions distressing, only 8 (0.2%) remained upset at the end of the interview, and 2 (<0.1%) wished to speak to a counselor. Adolescents reporting traumatic experiences or mental health problems were significantly more likely to report distress compared to those not endorsing such problems. Significantly more girls (7.5%) reported distress than boys (3.9%). Findings suggest that survey questions about trauma pose minimal risk to adolescents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety*
  • Child
  • Female
  • Health Surveys*
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Truth Disclosure*
  • United States