II. Overall Participants Exposure to Trauma

According to the DSM-IV-TR, the first criterion, A1, for PTSD is "The essential feature of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to one's physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate," (American Psychiatric Association, p. 463).

The survey was designed to address criterion A1 through questions one through seventeen which ask about different traumatic events that the participants may have experienced or witnessed. The responses that the participants were given to choose from included Never, Sometimes, Often and Very Often. As mentioned earlier, 315 participants were surveyed but only 311 surveys were kept for the purpose of data analyzing. The four that were discarded were because the participants were out of the target age group being 24 or older. Of the 311 surveys that were used, the questions vary in how they were answered. It is important to note that every question discusses a negative event that has occurred and the answers of sometimes, often and very often combined were greater than the answer of never. This indicates that the majority of participants surveyed have experienced a number of traumatic events at least sometimes. The different responses will be shown in the charts and graphs below.

  1. Exposure to Trauma-Overall Numbers

    This chart demonstrates the responses on average per question. Missing indicates a missing response.

    Responses Average Numbers Average Percentages
    Very Often: 39 13%
    Often: 48 15%
    Sometimes: 89 29%
    Never: 130 42%
    Missing: 4 1%
    Totals 311 100%

  2. Exposure to Trauma-Overall Responses per Question

    Below is the number of times each participant according to the different categories per question. The percentages are highlighted in gray. This is according to the 311 surveys. The missing responses range from one missing response in some of the questions to 10 missing responses for questions six and nine.

    Questions one through four are the questions that focus on being a victim, witness or perpetrator of verbal abuse. Findings in this area include:

    • 79% of the participants indicated that they have been victims of verbal abuse
    • 93% indicated that they have witnessed verbal abuse
    • 53% indicated that they have experienced verbal abuse because of their race or gender
    • 55% indicated that they have been perpetrators of verbal abuse

    Questions five through seven focus on the area of physical assault. Through these questions, participants responded as to whether they have ever been involved in a physical altercation or witnessed one. Findings include:

    • 76% stated that they have been in a physical altercation of some sort
    • 88% responded that they have witnessed an altercation of some sort
    • 66% indicated that they have witnessed someone be victimized through physical for because of their sexuality

    Questions eight through ten are about being exposed to an assault with a weapon or being the victim of an assault with a weapon. Findings include:

    • 37% indicated that they have been attacked with a weapon, shot and/or stabbed
    • 57% responded that they have witnessed an attack of the sort
    • 47% stated that thy have had a person chase them in an attempt to attack with a weapon

    Questions 11 and 12 focus on exposure to sexual abuse. Findings include the following:

    • 19% indicated that they have been the victim of sexual abuse
    • 6% indicated that they have been the victims of sexual abuse often or very often
    • 37% indicated that they have either witnessed an act of sexual abuse or that they know of someone who has been a victim

    Question 13 asked if the participant has ever attacked anyone when experiencing anger or negative feelings.

    • 59% stated that they have physically or verbally attacked someone

    Questions 14-17 explore the issue of exposure to domestic violence and teen dating violence. Findings in this area include:

    • 45% have been in a relationship where they have been the victim of verbal, physical or emotional abuse
    • 45% have been physically or verbally abused by family members that may include parents or siblings
    • 54% have witnessed family members, that may include parents or siblings, verbally abuse their partner or another family member
    • 46% have witnessed family members, that may include parents or siblings, verbally abuse their partner or another family member
    Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.5 Q.6 Q.7 Q.8 Q.9 Q.10 Q.11 Q.12 Q.13 Q.14 Q.15 Q.16 Q.17
    Very Often 36 96 29 18 48 103 54 20 43 28 7 14 28 58 23 32 26
    Very Often % 12% 31% 9% 6% 15% 33% 17% 6% 14% 9% 2% 5% 9% 19% 7% 10% 8%
    Often 64 110 44 42 58 89 61 24 61 38 13 27 34 29 39 58 28
    Often % 21% 35% 14% 14% 19% 29% 20% 8% 20% 12% 4% 9% 11% 9% 13% 19% 9%
    Sometimes 143 84 94 109 130 82 90 71 104 82 41 71 120 54 78 79 82
    Sometimes % 46% 27% 30% 35% 42% 26% 29% 23% 33% 26% 13% 23% 39% 17% 25% 25% 26%
    Never 67 20 143 140 70 26 99 188 93 159 248 196 124 166 168 139 172
    Never % 22% 6% 46% 45% 23% 8% 32% 60% 30% 51% 80% 63% 40% 53% 54% 45% 55%
    Missing 1 1 1 2 4 10 7 8 10 4 2 3 5 4 3 3 3
    Missing % 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 3% 2% 3% 3% 1% 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%