TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence, type, disclosure, and severity of adverse life events in college students
AU - Smyth, Joshua M.
AU - Hockemeyer, Jill R.
AU - Heron, Kristin E.
AU - Wonderlich, Stephen A.
AU - Pennebaker, James W.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - Objective: Some information on the prevalence of adverse life experiences is available for the general population and college students, but the extent, nature, and severity of these events is unclear. Participants: The authors recruited undergraduate college students (N = 6,053) from diverse academic settings (public and private schools) and geographic locations. Methods: They examined the prevalence, nature, severity, and disclosure of adverse events, in addition to reports of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology within the sample. Results: Across multiple studies, prevalence rates of adverse events ranged from 55.8% to 84.5%, replicating previous findings in larger samples. In a subset of undergraduate students (n = 97) who the authors interviewed in greater depth, 9% reported symptoms of clinical PTSD and an additional 11% reported subclinical symptoms. Conclusions: Research using college samples for the study of stressful life events is a useful and reasonable strategy. The authors discuss implications for research, as well as screening and referral services at universities.
AB - Objective: Some information on the prevalence of adverse life experiences is available for the general population and college students, but the extent, nature, and severity of these events is unclear. Participants: The authors recruited undergraduate college students (N = 6,053) from diverse academic settings (public and private schools) and geographic locations. Methods: They examined the prevalence, nature, severity, and disclosure of adverse events, in addition to reports of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology within the sample. Results: Across multiple studies, prevalence rates of adverse events ranged from 55.8% to 84.5%, replicating previous findings in larger samples. In a subset of undergraduate students (n = 97) who the authors interviewed in greater depth, 9% reported symptoms of clinical PTSD and an additional 11% reported subclinical symptoms. Conclusions: Research using college samples for the study of stressful life events is a useful and reasonable strategy. The authors discuss implications for research, as well as screening and referral services at universities.
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U2 - 10.3200/JACH.57.1.69-76
DO - 10.3200/JACH.57.1.69-76
M3 - Article
C2 - 18682348
AN - SCOPUS:50449104344
SN - 0744-8481
VL - 57
SP - 69
EP - 76
JO - Journal of American College Health
JF - Journal of American College Health
IS - 1
ER -