Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy

A history of psychologically traumatic experiences can impact health outcomes for pregnant people and their infants. The perception and prevalence of traumatic experiences during pregnancy may differ by geographical region. To better understand trends in how and what kinds of psychological trauma ar...

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Main Authors: Kathryn Wall, Francesca Penner, Lindsey Wallace Goldman, Jin Young Shin, Eloise Novak, Amanda Lowell, Michèle Day, Lea Papa, Drew Wright, Soudabeh Givrad, Helena J. V. Rutherford
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124001523/type/journal_article
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author Kathryn Wall
Francesca Penner
Lindsey Wallace Goldman
Jin Young Shin
Eloise Novak
Amanda Lowell
Michèle Day
Lea Papa
Drew Wright
Soudabeh Givrad
Helena J. V. Rutherford
author_facet Kathryn Wall
Francesca Penner
Lindsey Wallace Goldman
Jin Young Shin
Eloise Novak
Amanda Lowell
Michèle Day
Lea Papa
Drew Wright
Soudabeh Givrad
Helena J. V. Rutherford
author_sort Kathryn Wall
collection DOAJ
description A history of psychologically traumatic experiences can impact health outcomes for pregnant people and their infants. The perception and prevalence of traumatic experiences during pregnancy may differ by geographical region. To better understand trends in how and what kinds of psychological trauma are assessed globally, we conducted a secondary analysis on a larger systematic review examining psychological trauma measurement in pregnancy. Through a systematic literature review conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, completed between July 2021 and September 2023 using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Cochrane, we identified 576 research studies assessing psychological trauma during pregnancy that were conducted across nine geopolitical regions. Most of these studies took place in North America, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East or Northern Africa, Oceania, South America, and Central America. The fewest number of studies was conducted across multiple regions. We found that most studies measuring psychological trauma in pregnancy across the nine geopolitical regions assessed interpersonal trauma, and the fewest number of studies assessed healthcare trauma. Moreover, for each type of psychological trauma assessed, the greatest number of studies was conducted in North America. We also found that Central America, Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Middle East or Northern Africa, Europe, and studies conducted across multiple regions had one-third or more studies that only used in-house assessments, rather than previously validated assessments of psychological trauma. The results of this review emphasize the need for regionally specific and culturally appropriate measures of psychological trauma for pregnant people, which prioritize the types of psychological trauma that are most common in a given region. Newly developed measures can be used for screening and treatment of patients using trauma-informed obstetric care.
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spelling doaj-art-3c3dbb251c544c2a9e5cb68ebe17e8252025-01-23T07:05:12ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512025-01-011210.1017/gmh.2024.152Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancyKathryn Wall0Francesca Penner1Lindsey Wallace Goldman2Jin Young Shin3Eloise Novak4Amanda Lowell5Michèle Day6Lea Papa7Drew Wright8Soudabeh Givrad9Helena J. V. Rutherford10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8680-1535Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USAWeill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Psychiatry, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USAWeill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USAWeill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USAYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USAA history of psychologically traumatic experiences can impact health outcomes for pregnant people and their infants. The perception and prevalence of traumatic experiences during pregnancy may differ by geographical region. To better understand trends in how and what kinds of psychological trauma are assessed globally, we conducted a secondary analysis on a larger systematic review examining psychological trauma measurement in pregnancy. Through a systematic literature review conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, completed between July 2021 and September 2023 using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Cochrane, we identified 576 research studies assessing psychological trauma during pregnancy that were conducted across nine geopolitical regions. Most of these studies took place in North America, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East or Northern Africa, Oceania, South America, and Central America. The fewest number of studies was conducted across multiple regions. We found that most studies measuring psychological trauma in pregnancy across the nine geopolitical regions assessed interpersonal trauma, and the fewest number of studies assessed healthcare trauma. Moreover, for each type of psychological trauma assessed, the greatest number of studies was conducted in North America. We also found that Central America, Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Middle East or Northern Africa, Europe, and studies conducted across multiple regions had one-third or more studies that only used in-house assessments, rather than previously validated assessments of psychological trauma. The results of this review emphasize the need for regionally specific and culturally appropriate measures of psychological trauma for pregnant people, which prioritize the types of psychological trauma that are most common in a given region. Newly developed measures can be used for screening and treatment of patients using trauma-informed obstetric care.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124001523/type/journal_articlepsychological traumapost-traumatic stress disorderpregnancyglobal traumaperinatal trauma
spellingShingle Kathryn Wall
Francesca Penner
Lindsey Wallace Goldman
Jin Young Shin
Eloise Novak
Amanda Lowell
Michèle Day
Lea Papa
Drew Wright
Soudabeh Givrad
Helena J. V. Rutherford
Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
psychological trauma
post-traumatic stress disorder
pregnancy
global trauma
perinatal trauma
title Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
title_full Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
title_fullStr Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
title_full_unstemmed Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
title_short Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
title_sort global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
topic psychological trauma
post-traumatic stress disorder
pregnancy
global trauma
perinatal trauma
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124001523/type/journal_article
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