Year: 2026 | Month: April-June | Volume: 11 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 51-60
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20260207
Unseen Wounds, Lasting Scars: Evaluating the Psychiatric Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Urban Patna
Kaushikee K1, Anshuman Sinha2, Sundhareshwaran C3
1Post Graduate Student, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India;
2Post Graduate Student, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India;
3Senior Resident, Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, Jharkhand, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Kaushikee K.
ABSTRACT
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are recognized as primary distal determinants of adult psychopathology. While low- and middle-income countries undergo rapid urbanization, the psychiatric impact of early-life trauma among youth remains underexplored.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of childhood trauma and evaluate its association with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among young adults in an urban setting.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in urban wards of Patna, Bihar, among 425 young adults aged 18-29 years. A multi-stage cluster sampling strategy was utilised. Data were collected using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression via Jamovi version 2.7.16.
Results: Moderate to extremely severe anxiety affected 52.4% of participants, and nearly 45% exhibited moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Emotional neglect (31.3%) and emotional abuse (32.7%) were the most frequently reported trauma domains. Sexual abuse emerged as the strongest independent predictor for depression (AOR = 3.95), anxiety (AOR = 4.45), and stress (AOR = 3.25).
Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of psychological distress among urban young adults closely linked to adverse childhood experiences. Integrating trauma-informed screening and adolescent-tailored psychosocial interventions into routine community and primary healthcare services is essential.
Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences, anxiety, depression, mental health, stress, young adults