Interactive relationship between parent and child event appraisals and child PTSD symptoms after an injury.

AbstractFew studies have examined how PTSD symptoms in young children are associated with other mental health symptoms and mood and functioning in caregivers. This is an important gap in the literature as such knowledge may be important for assessment and treatment. This study used network analysis to identify how the major symptom domains of PTSD in young trauma-exposed children were related to impairment, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, caregiver PTSD, and caregiver stress. Caregivers of 75 trauma-exposed 3–7 year old children reported on their child’s symptoms and impairment and their own PTSD symptoms and caregiver stress. A strong association between the child PTSD domains of intrusions and avoidance emerged, which is in line with theoretical notions of how PTSD onsets and is maintained in adolescents and adults. Externalizing child symptoms were strongly linked to PTSD-related impairment and caregiver stress, highlighting the need to carefully assess and address such symptoms when working with young trauma-exposed children. Internalizing symptoms were uniquely associated with all three of the major childhood PTSD symptom domains with further implications for assessment and treatment.

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Maternal PTSD and corresponding neural activity mediate effects of child exposure to violence on child PTSD symptoms

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0181066 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. e0181066 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Daniel S. Schechter ◽

Dominik A. Moser ◽

Tatjana Aue ◽

Marianne Gex-Fabry ◽

Virginie C. Pointet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Activity ◽

Exposure To Violence ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Child Exposure ◽

Child Ptsd

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The Child PTSD Symptom Scale: An Investigation of Its Psychometric Properties

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260515596536 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 32 (15) ◽

pp. 2237-2256 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Regan W. Stewart ◽

Chad Ebesutani ◽

Christopher F. Drescher ◽

John Young

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Ptsd Symptom ◽

High Reliability ◽

Self Report ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Symptom Scale ◽

Structure Reliability ◽

Child Ptsd

The current study addresses the need for accurate measurement of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in youth by investigating the psychometric properties of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS). The factor structure, reliability, and concurrent and discriminant validity of the CPSS were investigated in a sample of 206 6th- to 12th-grade adolescents. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a single-factor structure, which was contrary to the hypothesized three-factor structure. Scores comprising this one-factor structure were also associated with high reliability (α = .93), and tests of concurrent and discriminant validity were also strong. The implications of these findings are discussed, with particular emphasis on future directions for research on self-report measures for adolescent PTSD symptoms.

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Sex differences in the severity and natural recovery of child PTSD symptoms: a longitudinal analysis of children exposed to acute trauma

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721004694 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Lucy V. Hiscox ◽

Sidney Bray ◽

Abigail Fraser ◽

Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽

Soraya Seedat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Recovery Period ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Symptom Change ◽

Natural Recovery ◽

Child Ptsd ◽

Ptsd Symptom Severity ◽

Linear Regressions ◽

Insight Into ◽

Trauma Type

Abstract Background Higher levels of PTSD symptoms are present among trauma-exposed females v. males in adulthood; however, much less is known about the emergence of this sex difference during development. Methods In a multi-study sample of 7–18-year-olds (n = 3397), we examined the effect of sex and age on the severity of PTSD symptoms after a single incident trauma at 1 month (T1), and on symptom change after a natural recovery period of 3 (T2) and 6 months (T3). PTSD scores were harmonised across measurement types, and linear regressions were used to determine sex and age effects, adjusting for study level variance and trauma type. Results A sex × age interaction was observed at T1 (p < 0.001) demonstrating that older age was associated with greater PTSD symptom severity in females (β = 0.008, p = 0.047), but less severe symptoms in males (β = −0.011, p = 0.014). The same pattern was observed at T2 and T3, with sex differences beginning to emerge by age 12 years. PTSD symptoms decreased naturally by ~25% at T2 with little further improvement by T3. Further, females showed a greater reduction in symptoms at T3 than males, although the same effect was not observed at T2. Conclusions Sex differences in PTSD symptoms become apparent during adolescence, due to opposing changes in susceptibility occurring in females and males with age. Understanding the factors contributing to these findings is likely to provide wider insight into sex-specific psychological vulnerability to trauma-related psychopathology.

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Stress reactivity in war-exposed young children with and without posttraumatic stress disorder: Relations to maternal stress hormones, parenting, and child emotionality and regulation

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579413000291 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (4pt1) ◽

pp. 943-955 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Ruth Feldman ◽

Adva Vengrober ◽

Moranne Eidelman-Rothman ◽

Orna Zagoory-Sharon

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Stress Response ◽

Young Children ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Stress Hormones ◽

Negative Emotionality ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Child Ptsd

AbstractThe current study examined biomarkers of stress in war-exposed young children and addressed maternal and child factors that may correlate with children's stress response. Participants were 232 Israeli children aged 1.5–5 years, including 148 children exposed to continuous war. Similarly, 56 were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 92 were defined as exposed-no-PTSD. Child cortisol (CT) and salivary alpha amylase (sAA), biomarkers of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and sympathetic–adrenal–medullary arms of the stress response, were measured at baseline, following challenge, and at recovery. Maternal CT and sAA, PTSD symptoms, and reciprocal parenting, and child negative emotionality and regulatory strategies were assessed. Differences between war-exposed children and controls emerged, but these were related to child PTSD status. Children with PTSD exhibited consistently low CT and sAA, exposed-no-PTSD displayed consistently high CT and sAA, and controls showed increase in CT following challenge and decrease at recovery and low sAA. Exposed children showed higher negative emotionality; however, whereas exposed-no-PTSD children employed comfort-seeking strategies, children with PTSD used withdrawal. Predictors of child CT included maternal CT, PTSD symptoms, low reciprocity, and negative emotionality. Findings suggest that high physiological arousal combined with approach strategies may be associated with greater resilience in the context of early trauma.

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