Relationship between abuse experience and PTSD symptoms among college students

Objective To explore the relationship between abuse experience and post-traurnatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms among college students.Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 800 freshmen and sophomoric students from a medical university in Guangzhou.The participants were asked to fill the post-traumatic stress disorder selfrating scale(PTSD-SS).Results A total of 757 questionnaires were eligible(97.2%).Among the college students,30.9% reported the experience of abuse.The prevalence of abuse was higher in the boys and in the students with physiological defects.There were no significant differences in the prevalence among the students with different status of age,only child,registered-residence,education of the parents,income of family,and single-parent family.The students with abuse experience showed a higher score in PTSD symptoms and its five factors(P< 0.01) and 90% of the students thought they were influenced by the abuse experience,and 80% of them reported their study were affected,and were afraid of the recurrence of the abuse.Conclusion The students with abuse experience have more PTSD symptoms.