Childhood Maltreatment and Symptoms of PTSD and Depression Among Delinquent Adolescents in Malaysia

Adolescents in the juvenile justice system are known to suffer from various psychological disorders. Less is known about how childhood psychological trauma is related to psychological disorders among delinquent adolescents in Malaysia. This study investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depressive and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Of 327 adolescents 96% were exposed to at least one childhood victimization. Significant differences were found for all types of victimization (i.e. maltreatment, sexual abuse, severe assault, neglect, and family victimization) between delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents. Females were more likely to be involved in family victimization, while males were more likely to experience severe assault and crime victimization. Delinquent adolescents reported depressive and PTSD symptoms significantly more than non-delinquent adolescents. The prevalence of PTSD and depressive symptoms among delinquents was 20.8 and 52.7% respectively. Highly victimized delinquent adolescents and/or those victimized in family-related events were at significantly higher risk to develop psychiatric symptoms.