Traumatic victimization, posttraumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse risk among juvenile justice-involved youth

Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent among youth involved in the juvenile justice system. However, the impact on functioning and risky behavior of different forms of psychological trauma in this population is not known. In a sample of 264 youth (73% boys) ages 10–17 years old admitted within the prior 24–72 hours to pretrial juvenile detention centers, 61% reported a history of psychological trauma. Physical abuse, domestic violence, and traumatic neglect were independently associated with suicide ideation and drug and alcohol abuse risk. Findings suggest that education and treatment models are needed to address the impact of victimization, neglect, loss, and accidental trauma on health risks such as suicidality and substance abuse among juvenile justice-involved youth.