For the study, researchers from the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina interviewed 4,023 youth nationwide. The results show that 16 percent of the boys interviewed and 19 percent of the girls met the criteria for at least one of the disorders.

"Nearly 4 percent of the boys and over 6 percent of the girls reported PTSD symptoms during the preceding six months, indicating that a high percentage of youth in the United States encounter traumatic events and experience significant emotional responses associated with these events," said study lead author Dean G. Kilpatrick, Ph.D.

The study further found alcohol and other drug misuse and addiction prevalent in 8.2 percent of the boys and 6.2 percent of the girls. Major depression was found in 7.4 percent of the boys and 13.9 percent of the girls.

Furthermore, more than three fourths of all adolescents with PTSD also met the criteria for major depression, alcohol and other drug misuse or dependency, or both.

The study's findings are published in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Kilpatrick, D., Ruggiero, K., Acierno, R., Saunders, B., Resnick, H., & Best, C. (2003) Violence and Risk of PTSD, Major Depression, Substance Abuse/Dependence, and Comorbidity: Results From the National Survey of Adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(4): 692-700.

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