A comparison of PTSD and traumatic event rates in a clinical sample of non-refugee immigrants and native-born individuals with a psychotic disorder: a case-control study
Creators: name: Trabsa, Amira
name: Redolar-Ripoll, Diego
name: Vargas, Laura
name: Llimona, Alba
name: Hogg, Bridget
name: Valiente-Gómez, Alicia
name: Pérez, Víctor
name: Moreno-Alcázar, Ana
name: Amann, Benedikt L.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Ecology
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Science Policy
subject: Mental Health

description: <b>Background:</b> Migration is a multi-stage social process linked to traumatic event exposure and a notably increased risk of psychosis. Although these conditions affect refugee and non-refugee immigrants, prior trauma research has focused mainly on the refugee population. <b>Objective:</b> To compare and describe the rate and the clinical characterization of PTSD and traumatic events between non-refugee immigrants and native-born individuals with psychotic disorder. <b>Methods:</b> 99 immigrants and 99 native-born individuals (<i>n</i> = 198) with at least one psychotic episode according to DSM-5 criteria were compared on the rate of PTSD diagnosis and traumatic events, using standardized and validated trauma scales. <b>Results:</b> In the non-refugee immigrant group, 31% met diagnostic criteria for PTSD compared to only 7.1% in the native-born group. Total scores in childhood trauma and last year stressful events were 1.5 and 2 times higher in non-refugee immigrants, respectively. Likewise, cumulative lifetime trauma was three times higher in non-refugee immigrants. Finally, non-refugee immigrants reported more violent and life-threatening traumatic events than native-born individuals. <b>Conclusions:</b> These results are relevant since they highlight that non-refugee immigrants with psychotic disorders are highly trauma-exposed, meaning a routine trauma assessment and a trauma-focused intervention for this population should be included in individualized treatment plans. Traumatic events and PTSD rates in the non-refugee immigrant population with psychotic disorder have previously received scant attention.This study found that in a psychotic population, 31% of the non-refugee immigrants presented a PTSD diagnosis compared to only 7.1% of the native-born individuals.Compared to native-born individuals with psychosis, non-refugee immigrants with psychosis have 1.5 times more childhood trauma exposure, 2 times more stressful events in the past year and 3 times more cumulative trauma over their lifetime. Traumatic events and PTSD rates in the non-refugee immigrant population with psychotic disorder have previously received scant attention. This study found that in a psychotic population, 31% of the non-refugee immigrants presented a PTSD diagnosis compared to only 7.1% of the native-born individuals. Compared to native-born individuals with psychosis, non-refugee immigrants with psychosis have 1.5 times more childhood trauma exposure, 2 times more stressful events in the past year and 3 times more cumulative trauma over their lifetime.