Experience of intimate partner violence affects many Dutch women and has tremendous effects on their mental health, of which the development of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most...Show moreExperience of intimate partner violence affects many Dutch women and has tremendous effects on their mental health, of which the development of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most known result. For effective treatment of PTSD, it is important to identify the women most at risk for developing this disorder. Although many risk factors have been investigated so far, little attention has gone to the relationship of the ethnic background on the development of trauma symptoms. This study investigated this relationship and whether it is mediated by the childhood maltreatment these women experienced. Women (n = 39) who resided in the Dutch domestic violence shelters were asked to fill out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. Results showed that the women experienced many trauma symptoms and most of the women had experienced childhood maltreatment. There was no difference in the amount of trauma symptoms between the western and non-western women. Results also showed no difference in the amount of experienced childhood maltreatment between western and non-western women and there was no mediation effect. The trauma symptoms of these women, were partly explained by the childhood maltreatment they had experienced. Although the ethnic background does not seem to be a risk factor for de development of trauma symptoms, the experiences of childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for the development op trauma symptoms and should be included in the treatment these women receive.Show less
