Identification of characteristics and causes of childhood posttraumatic stress disorder (original) (raw)

Posttraumatic stress disorder in children: diagnosis, assessment, and associated features

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 2003

Systematic examination of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children is relatively recent. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (DSM-III) [1] was the first to formally recognized PTSD as a diagnostic entity. Not until publication of the revised edition (DSM-III-R) [2] was the diagnosis formally recognized in children and adolescents, although anecdotal reports of children's trauma reactions were reported before that time [3,4]. Research within the past two decades has increased knowledge significantly concerning children's reactions to traumatic events. These studies have focused on children's reactions to a diverse set of potentially traumatic experiences, including man-made and natural disasters [5-9], war [10], community and family violence [11-13], physical and sexual assault [14,15], motor vehicle crashes [16], parental loss [17], and chronic illness [18,19]. Whereas earlier studies focused on general disruptions in children's functioning and adjustment [6,20,21], more recent studies have examined the likelihood that children develop PTSD after traumatic events and the conditions associated with the emergence of PTSD in children [22-27]. Studies have examined the posttraumatic responses of youth across the age range from preschool [28,29] through adolescence [30]. These studies clearly indicate that PTSD is a significant outcome of many different forms of childhood trauma. Although longitudinal studies indicate that the number and severity of children's PTSD symptoms decrease with time [12,24,31], many children continue to experience significant adjustment difficulties after trauma for extended periods [24,32]. Whereas symptomatic expression may not be of sufficient severity to warrant a PTSD diagnosis, it may still impair day-today and long-term functioning [33].

Posttraumatic Stress Without Trauma in Children

American Journal of Psychiatry, 2010

Objective-It remains unclear the degree to which children show signs of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing low-magnitude stressors, milder than those required for the DSM-IV PTSD extreme stressors criterion. Methods-A representative community-based sample of 1420 children, ages 9, 11, and 13 at intake, was followed annually through age 16. Low-magnitude and extreme stressors as well as subsequent posttraumatic stress symptoms were assessed with the Child and adolescent Psychiatric Assessment. Two measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms were used: 1) at least one symptom of painful recall, hyper-arousal, and avoidance (sub-clinical PTSD); and 2) painful recall only. Results-During a three-month period, low magnitude stressors occurred four times as often as extreme stressors (24.0% vs. 5.9%). Extreme stressors elicited painful recall in 8.7% of cases and sub-clinical PTSD in 3.1%, compared to much lower rates, 4.2% and 0.7%, for low magnitude stressors. Because of their higher prevalence, however, low-magnitude stressors accounted for twothirds of cases exhibiting painful recall and half of cases with sub-clinical PTSD. Moreover, exposure to low-magnitude stressors predicted symptoms even among youth with no prior lifetime exposures to an extreme stressor. Conclusion-Relative to low-magnitude stressors, extreme stressors place children at greater risk for symptoms. Nevertheless, a sizable group of children manifesting posttraumatic-stress symptoms only will have experienced a low-magnitude stressor.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in children. Overview and case study

2020

Abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe psychological trauma which results in an emotional suffering and a significant impairment in social area of functioning, revealing an intricate clinic summary which proves to be a tackling challenge concerning the therapeutic response. Among the general population PTSD is commonly associated with the highest rate in the use of medical and other professional services which makes it one of the most costly mental disorders. Widespread scientific recognition of PTSD occurrence in children was only recently gained. Studies indicate that there is a series of traumatic circumstances with a high potential of inducing PTSD in children: witnessing the murder or any other violent aggression against a parent. In this article the authors' approach on PTSD in children starts with the overall data followed by an in depth presentation and analysis of a clinical case, in which a child was diagnosed with PTSD, following her witnessing t...

Posttraumatic stress disorder in young children

2013

Topic Anxiety and depression Research with children of all ages has shown that untreated PTSD can follow a chronic and debilitating trajectory. 8,12,13 These findings are concerning given that young children's neurophysiological systems, including the stress modulation and emotional regulation systems, are still in the process of rapid development. 14 Additionally, trauma ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development ©2013 CEECD / SKC-ECD

Posttraumatic stress disorder in children: The influence of developmental factors

Clinical Psychology Review, 2002

Despite the prevalence of childhood trauma, there are currently no developmentally oriented cognitive theories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This paper outlines the definitional issues of PTSD in children, reviews the incidence of PTSD in children, and compares PTSD profiles in children and adults. We propose that a cognitive theory of childhood PTSD needs to accommodate developmental factors, including knowledge, language development, memory, emotion regulation, and social cognition, in addition to contextual factors such as family interactions. Implications of these developmental factors for assessment and treatment of traumatized children are discussed.

Factors Affecting the Diagnosis and Prediction of PTSD Symptomatology in Children and Adolescents

American Journal of Psychiatry, 2006

In a cohort that spanned all of childhood and suffered equivalent types of traumas, the authors examined diagnostic validity and risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For older children, parent-child agreement was investigated. Method: Sixty-two children ages 0-18 years who were hospitalized with injuries were assessed 2 months later for PTSD. Mothers were interviewed, and concurrent interviews were conducted with 24 adolescents. Results: Children did not attain the DSM-IV threshold of three criterion C items until age 7. The 0-6-year-old group had significantly fewer criterion C symptoms (mean=0.43) than the 12-18-year-olds (mean=1.17). The impact of altering thresholds for criteria C and D was examined. Older children reported symptoms meeting criterion B significantly more often (79.2%) than parents (45.8%). Com

Traumatic Events and Posttraumatic Stress in Childhood

Archives of General Psychiatry, 2007

Context: Traumatic events are common and are related to psychiatric impairment in childhood. Little is known about the risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) across different types of trauma exposure in children.