{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T08:28:36Z","timestamp":1760171316168,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]],"date-time":"2023-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1693526400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Healthcare"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Addressing trauma has been found to be important for primary care patients, as it can improve their health-related outcomes. We aimed to assess how Portuguese general practitioners\u2019 (GPs) past history of traumatic events (TEs) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence their clinical communication skills when addressing their patients\u2019 past history of adversities. An online survey was circulated by email to GPs\u2019 associations and through GPs\u2019 social media groups. A sample of 143 GPs participated in this study. GPs\u2019 exposure to ACEs and TEs was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and the Life Events Checklist for the DSM-5. To evaluate clinical communication skills, we adapted the Self-confidence Scale and used the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. GPs identified barriers to addressing trauma routinely, including a lack of time (86.7%) and a fear of causing further patient suffering (56.6%). GPs\u2019 exposure to TEs and ACEs was positively correlated with scores in some dimensions of self-confidence and empathy (r values varying from 0.170 to 0.247). GPs exposed to traumatic experiences felt more confident when addressing their patients\u2019 adversities and were more empathic when conducting therapeutic relationships. This study shows that GPs with a history of traumatic experiences are able to address their patients\u2019 adversities; however, they lack proper training and better patient care conditions, such as more time and more resources available for patient guidance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare11172450","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]],"date-time":"2023-09-01T08:45:31Z","timestamp":1693557931000},"page":"2450","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["General Practitioners\u2019 Own Traumatic Experiences and Their Skills in Addressing Patients\u2019 Past History of Adversities: A Cross-Sectional Study in Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3536-3648","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariana","family":"S\u00e1","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Unidade de Sa\u00fade Familiar Fam\u00edlias, Agrupamento de Centros de Sa\u00fade Entre Douro e Vouga I\u2014Feira\/Arouca, 4535-086 Lourosa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3941-8274","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paulo Almeida","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Management and Health Organizations, Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, 3504-505 Viseu, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5343-0229","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivone","family":"Castro-Vale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"i3S-Institute of Research and Innovation in Health, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e356","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-2667(17)30118-4","article-title":"The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"2","author":"Hughes","year":"2017","journal-title":"Lancet Public Health"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2015.07.011","article-title":"A revised inventory of Adverse Childhood Experiences","volume":"48","author":"Finkelhor","year":"2015","journal-title":"Child Abus. 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