THE HISTORY AND PREVALENCE OF POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

This article reviews the history and prevalence of PTSD with special r eference to children and adolescents. Historical examples as well as a n account of the way that this form of psychiatric morbidity has been represented in various models of classification are presented. Informa tion about the prevalence of PTSD among youth who were exposed to war- related stressors, criminal and/or deliberate victimization, and accid ents or disasters is also provided. Recommendations for future epidemi ological research involving traumatized youth are also made.