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This article is an examination of the empirical literature published in peer-reviewed journals, which investigated samples of adults aged 50 and older, who had experienced trauma, in childhood with follow-up of the impact on later life mental and physical health. Articles were identified through searches of EBSCOhost databases, such as PubMed, SocioIndex, and PsychoLit. Search terms such as childhood trauma and cumulative trauma were paired with the term older adults in varying combinations. The collective findings of 23 studies published between 1996 and 2001 suggested that trauma first documented as occurring in childhood is associated with later life mental and physical health. Methodological limitations and future directions as well as recommendations for practice, policy, and research with older adults and trauma are delineated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between self- and other-oriented potential lifetime traumatic events (PLTE) and loneliness at the second half of life. Method: The sample was comprised of 7446 respondents who completed the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2006 psychosocial questionnaire. PLTE were classified into self-oriented PLTE, defined as traumatic events that primarily inflict the self (e.g., being abused by parents) and other-oriented PLTE, defined as events that affect the self by primarily targeting others (e.g., death of one's child). We evaluated the role of self- and other-oriented PLTE as predictors of loneliness, as evaluated by the short R-UCLA. Analyses were stratified by age at which trauma happened categorized into four life periods (0–17, 18–30, 31–49, 50+). Results: The results showed that PLTE is positively related to loneliness. Moreover, the number of other-oriented PLTE, and even more pronouncedly self-oriented PLTE, that happened up until adulthood were the strongest predictors of loneliness at the second half of life. Conclusion: The study suggests that self- and other-oriented PLTE reported to have occurred early in life are associated with perceived loneliness in the second half of life. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: With a sample of 120 Gulf War veterans, the present study investigated the main effects of childhood and lifetime trauma, combat exposure, and coping strategies on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as combat exposure''s moderating effects on the other variables’ relationships with PTSD. Logistic regression results indicated correct classification of PTSD diagnosis for 88% of the participants, with combat exposure and avoidant coping making significant contributions to this classification. Multiple regression results indicated that lifetime trauma, combat exposure, and avoidant coping were strongly related to PTSD symptoms. Multiple regression results also revealed that combat exposure moderated the strength and direction of PTSD''s relationships with childhood trauma and avoidant coping. Study findings have implications for longitudinal investigation of PTSD development and preventive interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]