Skin conductance response to trauma interview as a candidate biomarker of trauma and related psychopathology in youth resettled as refugees

Background: Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) include a constellation of physical and emotional profiles that youth exposed to trauma may experience. An estimated 20% of youth are exposed to trauma, and in refugee populations, up to 54% experience posttraumatic stress. Given the physical and mental health consequences associated with trauma exposure and subsequent psychopathology, identifying biomarkers of symptom severity is a top research priority. Objective: Previous research in adults found that skin conductance responses to trauma interview predicted current and future PTSS. We extended this method to refugee youth exposed to civilian war trauma and forced migration, to examine associations between PTSS and skin conductance in this uniquely vulnerable child and adolescent population. Methods: 86 refugee youth ages 7–17 years completed a trauma interview and assessment of self-reported PTSS. The mobile eSense app on a iPad was used to obtain continuous recordings of skin conductance level (SCL) during a trauma interview (trauma SCL). Skin conductance response (SCR) was calculated by subtracting the baseline SCL from the maximum amplitude of the trauma SCL. Results: SCL during trauma was significantly greater than baseline SCL, Trauma exposure was significantly associated with SCR to trauma interview, R(2 )= .084, p = .042. SCR to trauma interview was positively correlated with reexperiencing (R(2 )= .127, p = .028), and hyperarousal symptoms (R(2 )= .123, p = .048). Conclusions: The present study provides evidence for feasibility of SCR to trauma interview as a candidate biomarker of PTSS in youth. This is the first study to look at SCR to trauma interview in youth resettled as refugees and is part of the limited but growing body of research to look at biomarkers in refugee cohorts more broadly. As the number of forcibly displaced persons surges, early detection and prevention of trauma-related psychology is becoming more important than ever. HIGHLIGHTS: Using the mobile eSense app, we demonstrate that skin conductance is measurable in a variety of research settings and that skin conductance response may be a biological indicator of trauma and related psychopathology – namely re-experiencing symptoms – in youth resettled as refugees.