Year: 2025 | Month: December | Volume: 15 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 243-251
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20251230
Determinants and Predictors of Childhood Trauma Among School-Going Adolescents of West Tripura District: A Cross-Sectional Study
Kunal Chakraborty1, Saugata Chaudhuri2, Manirul Islam3, Dipankar Chakraborty4
1Department of Community Medicine, Agartala Government College, Agartala, Tripura, India
2Department of Neonatology, IPGME&R, SSKMH, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
3Department of Anatomy, Agartala Government Medical College, Agartala, Tripura, India
4Department of Pharmacology, Agartala Government Medical College, Agartala, Tripura India
Corresponding Author: Kunal Chakraborty
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Childhood trauma (CHT) is often described as adverse childhood experiences. Children may go through a range of adverse childhood experiences that are known as abuse and neglect. Abuse is an intentional misconduct whereas neglect is an unintentional misconduct. These can be rooted through various dimensions: physical, emotional, sexual. CHT has been correlated with negative effects in health and wellbeing in later in life.
Though CHT is largely preventable, there is concern about the rising prevalence of CHT globally. Therefore, it is imperative to know the prevalence and factors associated with CHT. There is paucity of studies about CHT in north-east India.
Aims & Objectives: To estimate the prevalence, to assess the patterns of childhood trauma among the school-going adolescents of west Tripura and to find out the determinants associated with CHT.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the schools of West Tripura including all the districts. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used as study tool. Multistage random sampling was used. Sampling size was calculated as 256 students from class 6 to class 12. Sample size was estimated based on the prevalence of CHT where 20.9% of adolescents experienced CHT. Sample size came as 256. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test was used. Binary Logistic Regression was used to find out the determinants which can predict CHT. Stepwise Logistic Regression Model was used to identify the predictors whose inclusion can change the model significantly.
Results: The level of CHT in West Tripura district was found as 47.3%. Out of which, Emotional Abuse (52%) and Physical Neglect (49.2%) were the most prevalent CHT pattern. Age, gender, family income and educational status of father were found to be significantly associated with CHT. Items like “My family looked out for each other”, “someone took me to see the doctor when I needed to” and “Someone tried to touch me in a sexual way or tried to make me touch them” can predict the likelihood of CHT significantly.
Conclusion: The level of CHT found in West Tripura district was 47.3%. Age, gender, family income and educational status of father were found significantly associated with CHT.
Key words: childhood trauma, adolescents, prevalence, patter, multistage random sampling, risk factors, districts, sub-divisions, higher secondary schools.