Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies

Background: While males constitute the majority, female adolescent offenders are a sizeable minority of the overall delinquent population. Further, those females who become involved in delinquent activities appear to be doing so at a younger age, and they are involved in a wide range of criminal act...

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Main Authors: David W. Foy, Iya K. Ritchie, Alison H. Conway
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2012-05-01
Series:European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.eurojnlofpsychotraumatol.net/index.php/ejpt/article/view/17247/pdf
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author David W. Foy
Iya K. Ritchie
Alison H. Conway
author_facet David W. Foy
Iya K. Ritchie
Alison H. Conway
author_sort David W. Foy
collection DOAJ
description Background: While males constitute the majority, female adolescent offenders are a sizeable minority of the overall delinquent population. Further, those females who become involved in delinquent activities appear to be doing so at a younger age, and they are involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including violent offenses. Objective: The goal of this article is to consolidate an empirical base for our current knowledge about female juvenile offenders’ trauma-related mental health and rehabilitation issues. Method: We searched for studies using PILOTS, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, and EBSCOhost electronic databases. Results: Accordingly, we present a review of findings from 33 recent studies showing consistently high rates of trauma exposure, PTSD, and common comorbidities among female adolescent offenders. We also examined recent literature on risk and protective factors for female delinquency, as well as treatments for offenders, and found that there was some early representation of trauma and PTSD as important variables to be considered in etiology and treatment. Conclusion: Future plans for addressing the mental health needs of female offenders should be better informed by these recent findings about widespread trauma exposure and related psychological consequences.
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spelling doaj.art-07505c984418446db1d482f7c89f29ff2022-12-22T03:16:12ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662012-05-013011310.3402/ejpt.v3i0.17247Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studiesDavid W. FoyIya K. RitchieAlison H. ConwayBackground: While males constitute the majority, female adolescent offenders are a sizeable minority of the overall delinquent population. Further, those females who become involved in delinquent activities appear to be doing so at a younger age, and they are involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including violent offenses. Objective: The goal of this article is to consolidate an empirical base for our current knowledge about female juvenile offenders’ trauma-related mental health and rehabilitation issues. Method: We searched for studies using PILOTS, PsycLIT, PsycINFO, and EBSCOhost electronic databases. Results: Accordingly, we present a review of findings from 33 recent studies showing consistently high rates of trauma exposure, PTSD, and common comorbidities among female adolescent offenders. We also examined recent literature on risk and protective factors for female delinquency, as well as treatments for offenders, and found that there was some early representation of trauma and PTSD as important variables to be considered in etiology and treatment. Conclusion: Future plans for addressing the mental health needs of female offenders should be better informed by these recent findings about widespread trauma exposure and related psychological consequences.http://www.eurojnlofpsychotraumatol.net/index.php/ejpt/article/view/17247/pdfdelinquencyPTSDfemale juvenile offendersrisk and protective factorsviolence exposure
spellingShingle David W. Foy
Iya K. Ritchie
Alison H. Conway
Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
delinquency
PTSD
female juvenile offenders
risk and protective factors
violence exposure
title Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
title_full Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
title_fullStr Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
title_full_unstemmed Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
title_short Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders: findings and implications from recent studies
title_sort trauma exposure posttraumatic stress and comorbidities in female adolescent offenders findings and implications from recent studies
topic delinquency
PTSD
female juvenile offenders
risk and protective factors
violence exposure
url http://www.eurojnlofpsychotraumatol.net/index.php/ejpt/article/view/17247/pdf
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AT iyakritchie traumaexposureposttraumaticstressandcomorbiditiesinfemaleadolescentoffendersfindingsandimplicationsfromrecentstudies
AT alisonhconway traumaexposureposttraumaticstressandcomorbiditiesinfemaleadolescentoffendersfindingsandimplicationsfromrecentstudies