“They may be confronting but they are good questions to be asking” young people's experiences of completing a trauma and PTSD screening tool in an early psychosis program

Abstract

Background There is a history of inadequate enquiry about, and assessment of, trauma in young people within Early Psychosis services and even when screening does occur there is little known about how young people experience this process. Aims This study aimed to explore young people's experiences of completing a trauma and PTSD screening tool when receiving a service in an Early Psychosis Program. Method Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 10 young people, aged 18–24 years, to explore their subjective experience of this process. Transcripts were analysed via interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results Four super‐ordinate themes were identified: (i) an emotional experience, (ii) the importance of the relationship with the clinician, (iii) an opportunity to reflect on past experiences, and (iv) the ability to be able to provide honest responses. Results from this study indicated that young people expected to be asked about their trauma experiences, acknowledged that this was challenging for them but found that this was made easier due to the relationship they had built with the clinician, the timing of the screening and also, possibly, by the written style format of the questionnaires. Conclusions Young people in this study accepted the need for screening for traumatic histories, and expected to be asked about their traumatic experiences, despite the possibility of a short‐term increase in distress. The support offered by a trusted clinician, whom the young person had built a relationship with, appeared to be an important component to the willingness and the ability of the young person to complete the questionnaires. This reinforces the fact that screening for trauma in an early psychosis service can be conducted in a way that is safe and acceptable to young people.

Barriers to young people seeking help for trauma: A qualitative analysis of Internet forums.

“…Given the difficulties young people highlighted with disclosure, particularly regarding not knowing how to initiate conversations about trauma, it is important that clinicians who have contact with young people systematically screen for these experiences and are trained in how to respond in a trauma-informed way (Bendall et al, 2021). As young people also reported discomfort disclosing to a stranger, universal screening processes should be organized so young people have personal and ongoing connection with the screener, if possible (Dryden-Mead et al, in press). It also may be important for clinicians to ask about trauma on multiple occasions as the therapeutic relationship develops.…”