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Cited by 293Child Abuse and TraumaPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in severe mental illness

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Mauritz, Maria W., Goossens, Peter J. J., Draijer, Nel, van Achterberg, Theo·2013·European Journal of Psychotraumatology
DOI 10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19985PMC PMC3621904
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with severe mental illness (SMI) are often not recognized in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To substantiate the prevalence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders in people with SMI. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of four databases (1980-2010) and then described and analysed 33 studies in terms of primary diagnosis and instruments used to measure trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders. RESULTS: Population-weighted mean prevalence rates in SMI were physical abuse 47% (range 25-72%), sexual abuse 37% (range 24-49%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 30% (range 20-47%). Compared to men, women showed a higher prevalence of sexual abuse in schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and mixed diagnosis groups labelled as having SMI. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence rates of interpersonal trauma and trauma-related disorders were significantly higher in SMI than in the general population. Emotional abuse and neglect, physical neglect, complex PTSD, and dissociative disorders have been scarcely examined in SMI.

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Crossref · 10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19985

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  • People in contact with mental health services who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to self-harm and attempt suicide.

    “People in contact with mental health services who have experienced childhood trauma have longer and more frequent hospital admissions, are prescribed more medication, and are more likely to self- harm and attempt suicide (Kessler et al., 2010 ;”

    From A qualitative synthesis of patients' experiences of re-traumatization in acute mental health inpatient settings (2023) · cites this paper as Mauritz et al., 2013

    The Results section ('Influence of interpersonal trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders on the course of mental illness and severity of symptoms'; page unavailable) reports that patients with severe mental illness and histories of both physical and sexual abuse attempted suicide more frequently. It also links self-destructive behaviour to complex PTSD and related disorders in patients with borderline personality disorder, but does not establish the self-harm claim specifically for people with childhood trauma across mental health services. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  • Individuals with mental disorders are more prone to traumatic experiences.

    “individuals with mental disorders are more prone to traumatic experiences (Mauritz et al., 2013)”

    From Predictive coding in neuropsychiatric disorders: a systematic transdiagnostic review. (2025) · cites this paper as Mauritz et al., 2013

    The Conclusion reports that interpersonal trauma exposure is significantly more prevalent among patients with severe mental illness than in the general population. The claim extends this finding to people with mental disorders generally and to traumatic experiences beyond interpersonal trauma; the paper reports prevalence, not greater susceptibility to future trauma. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Rates of trauma exposure are higher amongst people accessing mental health services, with estimates suggesting that roughly half have experienced physical abuse and over a third have experienced sexual abuse.

    “Rates of trauma exposure are higher amongst people accessing mental health services, with estimates suggesting that roughly half have experienced physical abuse, whilst over a third have experienced sexual abuse [24].”

    From Interventions to address empathy-based stress in mental health workers: A scoping review and research agenda (2024) · cites this paper as [24]

    The Abstract Results report physical abuse in 47% and sexual abuse in 37% of people with severe mental illness (SMI); the Abstract Conclusions say interpersonal trauma is more prevalent in SMI than in the general population. The citing sentence extends those findings to people accessing mental health services generally, a broader group than the population studied. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • People with psychosis are at higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than people in the general population.

    “They are at higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than people in the general population (4)”

    From Making meaning of trauma in psychosis (2023) · cites this paper as [4]

  • People in contact with mental health services who have experienced childhood trauma are prescribed more medication.

    “People in contact with mental health services who have experienced childhood trauma have longer and more frequent hospital admissions, are prescribed more medication, and are more likely to self- harm and attempt suicide (Kessler et al., 2010 ;”

    From A qualitative synthesis of patients' experiences of re-traumatization in acute mental health inpatient settings (2023) · cites this paper as Mauritz et al., 2013

    The Results section discusses associations between childhood trauma and illness course in people with severe mental illness, but does not address medication prescribing. Searches for medication, prescriptions, and treatment use found no passage comparing prescriptions by childhood-trauma history. (LLM, conf=0.73)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Lu W Fite R Kim E Hyer L Yanos P. T Mueser K. T Cognitive-behavioral treatment of PTSD in severe mental illness American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2008 12 1 73 91

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Authors
Mauritz, M. W., Goossens, P. J. J., Draijer, N., & van Achterberg, T.
Affiliations
  • Radboud University Medical Center (NL)
  • Saxion (NL)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Corresponding author
Mauritz, Maria W.
ORCID
Venue
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2013-04-08
Volume
4
Issue
1
ISSN
2000-8066 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19985
PMC
PMC3621904
OpenAlex
W2117768694
Cited by
293
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 2
FWCI
7.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • European Journal of Psychotraumatology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
trauma-related disorders, severe mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, physical abuse, sexual abuse, complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, prevalence, sex differences

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