Prevalence of Traumatic Experiences in South Korean Adults
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Participants
2.2. Instruments
2.2.1. Traumatic Experiences
2.2.2. Sociodemographic Characteristics
2.3. Ethical Considerations
2.4. Data Collection
2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Sociodemographic Characteristics and Differences in Trauma-Related Variables by Sociodemographic Characteristics
3.2. Characteristics of Childhood and Adulthood Trauma and Its Differences by Gender
3.3. Differences in Childhood and Adulthood Trauma by Gender and Age
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | n (%) | Childhood Trauma | Adulthood Trauma | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Median (IQR) | Mean Rank | U or χ2kw(df) | p | Median (IQR) | Mean Rank | U or χ2kw(df) | p | ||
Gender | |||||||||
Male | 1500 (50.0) | 43 (33) | 1547.59 | 1,054,371.50 | 0.003 | 9 (17) | 1412.92 | 993,636.00 | <0.001 |
Female | 1500 (50.0) | 42 (24) | 1453.41 | 13 (19) | 1588.08 | ||||
Age group (years) | |||||||||
19–29 | 750 (25.0) | 41 (28) | 1468.19 | 9.37 (3) | 0.025 | 9 (15) | 1385.38 | 20.18 (3) | <0.001 |
30–39 | 750 (25.0) | 44 (33) | 1578.05 | 12 (18) | 1499.58 | ||||
40–49 | 750 (25.0) | 42 (27) | 1503.29 | 12 (19) | 1561.69 | ||||
50–65 | 750 (25.0) | 41 (23) | 1452.48 | 12 (19) | 1555.34 | ||||
Living status | |||||||||
With spouse | 1596 (53.2) | 41 (26) | 1453.21 | 1,044,914.50 | 0.001 | 10 (17) | 1439.23 | 1,022,598.00 | <0.001 |
Without spouse | 1404 (46.8) | 44 (29) | 1554.26 | 12 (19) | 1570.15 | ||||
Education | |||||||||
≤High school | 515 (17.2) | 47 (28) | 1671.45 | 551,847.00 | <0.001 | 13 (20) | 1616.80 | 579,992.50 | 0.001 |
≥College | 2485 (82.8) | 41 (27) | 1465.07 | 11 (18) | 1476.40 | ||||
Employment status | 00 | ||||||||
Unemployed | 794 (26.5) | 43 (27) | 1519.49 | 860,706.50 | 0.471 | 11 (18) | 1512.72 | 866,077.00 | 0.641 |
Employed | 2206 (73.5) | 42 (28) | 1493.67 | 11 (17) | 1496.10 | ||||
Economic status | |||||||||
Low | 898 (29.9) | 47 (31) | 1661.47 | 63.88 (2) | <0.001 | 13 (20) | 1605.04 | 19.49 (2) | <0.001 |
Moderate | 954 (31.8) | 42 (26) | 1523.44 | 10 (17) | 1472.45 | ||||
High | 1148 (38.3) | 39 (25) | 1355.51 | 10 (16) | 1442.04 | ||||
Total Median (IQR) | 42 (28) | 11 (17) | |||||||
Range | 25–111 | 0–70 |
Categories | Total | Gender | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male (n = 1500) | Female (n = 1500) | ||||||||
Types of childhood trauma | Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | Mean rank | Median (IQR) | Mean rank | U | p | ||
Physical abuse | 7 (7) | 7 (8) | 1580.25 | 6 (6) | 1420.75 | 1,005,371.50 | <0.001 | ||
Emotional abuse | 8 (7) | 7 (8) | 1472.06 | 8 (7) | 1528.94 | 1,082,335.50 | 0.068 | ||
Sexual abuse | 5 (5) | 5 (6) | 1562.65 | 5 (3) | 1438.35 | 1,031,776.00 | <0.001 | ||
Physical neglect | 9 (7) | 10 (6) | 1619.57 | 9 (6) | 1381.43 | 946,396.50 | <0.001 | ||
Emotional neglect | 12 (7) | 12 (7) | 1497.50 | 12 (7) | 1503.50 | 1,120,494.00 | 0.849 | ||
Types of adulthood trauma † | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | χ2 (df) | p | Distress (M ± SD) ‡ | |||
Verbal threats or violence | 789 | (26.3) | 381 | (25.4) | 408 | (27.2) | 1.25 (1) | 0.263 | 3.77 ± 1.08 |
Physical threats or violence | 437 | (14.6) | 236 | (15.7) | 201 | (13.4) | 3.28 (1) | 0.070 | 3.74 ± 1.13 |
Victimization such as assault or robbery | 142 | (4.7) | 80 | (5.3) | 62 | (4.1) | 2.39 (1) | 0.122 | 3.82 ± 1.11 |
Sexual harassment or sexual abuse | 290 | (9.7) | 63 | (4.2) | 227 | (15.1) | 102.67 (1) | <0.001 | 3.71 ± 1.24 |
Severe physical illness | 422 | (14.1) | 224 | (14.9) | 198 | (13.2) | 1.86 (1) | 0.172 | 3.97 ± 1.05 |
Disease in a loved one | 736 | (24.5) | 368 | (24.5) | 368 | (24.5) | 0.00 (1) | 0.998 | 4.32 ± 0.82 |
Unexpected death of a loved one | 931 | (31.1) | 459 | (30.6) | 473 | (31.5) | 0.30 (1) | 0.581 | 4.54 ± 0.76 |
Breakdown of an interpersonal relationship | 1146 | (38.2) | 513 | (34.2) | 633 | (42.2) | 20.33 (1) | <0.001 | 3.96 ± 0.94 |
Bullying in school or at the workplace | 465 | (15.5) | 185 | (12.3) | 280 | (18.7) | 22.96 (1) | <0.001 | 3.93 ± 0.98 |
Betrayal | 807 | (26.9) | 370 | (24.7) | 437 | (29.1) | 7.60 (1) | 0.006 | 4.15 ± 0.90 |
Divorce or separation (own or parents’) | 401 | (13.4) | 156 | (10.4) | 245 | (16.3) | 22.80 (1) | <0.001 | 3.74 ± 1.20 |
Academic or work difficulties | 1168 | (38.9) | 548 | (36.5) | 620 | (41.3) | 7.26 (1) | 0.007 | 3.95 ± 0.90 |
Unemployment or job loss | 1240 | (41.3) | 618 | (41.2) | 622 | (41.5) | 0.02 (1) | 0.882 | 3.96 ± 0.91 |
Financial difficulties | 895 | (29.8) | 441 | (29.4) | 454 | (30.3) | 0.26 (1) | 0.604 | 4.30 ± 0.89 |
Witness or awareness of suicide of other persons | 251 | (8.4) | 100 | (6.7) | 151 | (10.1) | 11.30 (1) | 0.001 | 4.26 ± 0.86 |
Other traumatic events § | 3 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.1) | 2 | (0.1) | 0.33 (1) | 0.564 | 5.00 ± 0.00 |
Number of adulthood trauma experiences | |||||||||
At least 1 type of trauma | 2386 | (79.5) | 1153 | (76.9) | 1233 | (82.2) | 13.10 (1) | <0.001 | |
None | 614 | (20.5) | 347 | (23.1) | 267 | (17.8) | |||
Utilization of mental health services | n (%) | ||||||||
1. After any of the traumatic experiences mentioned above, did you use mental health services? (n = 2386) ¶ | |||||||||
No | 2216 | (92.9) | |||||||
Yes | 170 | (7.1) | |||||||
2. If you did not use mental health services, what was the reason? (n = 2216) || | |||||||||
Concerns about stigmatization or disadvantages in social life | 148 | (6.7) | |||||||
Concerns about efficacy | 193 | (8.7) | |||||||
Time or money constraints | 240 | (10.8) | |||||||
Belief in healing with time | 1425 | (64.3) | |||||||
Lack of information about services | 210 | (9.5) |
Age | Male | Female | p | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Median (IQR) | Mean Rank | Median (IQR) | Mean Rank | U | ||
Childhood trauma | ||||||
19–29 | 43 (35) | 396.87 | 41 (22) | 354.13 | 62,298.50 | 0.007 |
30–39 | 49 (37) | 400.01 | 43 (28) | 350.99 | 61,121.50 | 0.002 |
40–49 | 42 (31) | 386.45 | 42 (25) | 364.55 | 66,205.50 | 0.166 |
50–65 | 41 (22) | 364.46 | 42 (23) | 386.54 | 66,171.50 | 0.163 |
Correlations between age and childhood trauma | ||||||
r (p) | −0.07 (0.008) | 0.05 (0.039) | ||||
Adulthood trauma | ||||||
19–29 | 7 (15) | 342.75 | 12 (16) | 408.25 | 58,032.00 | <0.001 |
30–39 | 9 (19) | 347.60 | 14 (19) | 403.40 | 59,850.50 | <0.001 |
40–49 | 10 (20) | 368.03 | 12 (20) | 382.97 | 67,510.00 | 0.343 |
50–65 | 11 (19) | 355.53 | 13 (19) | 395.47 | 62,824.00 | 0.011 |
Correlations between age and adulthood trauma | ||||||
r (p) | 0.11 (< 0.001) | 0.05 (0.036) |
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Share and Cite
Kim, S.; Kim, G.-U.; Park, S. Prevalence of Traumatic Experiences in South Korean Adults. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 3959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113959
Kim S, Kim G-U, Park S. Prevalence of Traumatic Experiences in South Korean Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(11):3959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113959
Chicago/Turabian StyleKim, Sunah, Go-Un Kim, and Suin Park. 2020. "Prevalence of Traumatic Experiences in South Korean Adults" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 11: 3959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113959