Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich.
Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Unit, University of Konstanz.
Psychol Trauma. 2016 Mar;8(2):180-187. doi: 10.1037/tra0000037. Epub 2015 Apr 27.
In Latin America, little research has been conducted regarding exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among foster children. This study examined the association between ACEs and mental health, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and HRQoL in Chilean foster girls relative to age-matched Chilean family girls. Data were obtained from 27 Chilean foster girls and 27 Chilean girls ages 6 to 17 years living in family homes. Standardized self- and proxy-report measures were used. Foster girls reported more ACEs than controls in terms of familial and nonfamilial sexual abuse and both emotional and physical neglect. Girls living in foster care had a significantly higher rate of PTSD, displayed greater behavioral and emotional problems, and reported a lower HRQoL. Analysis confirmed the well-known cumulative risk hypothesis by demonstrating a significant positive association between the number of ACEs and PTSD symptom severity and a significant negative association with HRQoL. Chilean foster girls endured more ACEs that impair mental health and HRQoL than age-matched peers living with their families. These findings have implications for out-of-home care services in Latin America, highlighting the need to implement not only appropriate trauma-focused treatments but also appropriate prevention strategies.
在拉丁美洲，针对受抚养儿童经历不良童年经历 (ACEs)、心理健康和与健康相关的生活质量 (HRQoL) 之间的关系，研究相对较少。本研究考察了智利寄养女孩 ACEs 与心理健康、创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 和 HRQoL 之间的关系，将其与年龄匹配的智利家庭女孩进行了比较。数据来自 27 名智利寄养女孩和 27 名年龄在 6 至 17 岁之间居住在家庭寄养机构的智利女孩。使用了标准化的自我和代理报告测量方法。在家庭和非家庭性虐待以及情感和身体忽视方面，寄养女孩报告的 ACEs 比对照组更多。生活在寄养环境中的女孩 PTSD 发生率显著更高，表现出更多的行为和情绪问题，HRQoL 更低。分析证实了众所周知的累积风险假设，表明 ACEs 的数量与 PTSD 症状严重程度呈显著正相关，与 HRQoL 呈显著负相关。与年龄匹配的、与家人生活在一起的同龄人相比，智利寄养女孩经历了更多损害心理健康和 HRQoL 的 ACEs。这些发现对拉丁美洲的家庭外护理服务具有重要意义，突出表明不仅需要实施适当的以创伤为重点的治疗方法，还需要实施适当的预防策略。
