TRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN OF BATTERED WOMEN

The posttraumatic stress symptoms of 64 children ages 7 to 12 were ass essed by their mothers, who had experienced emotional and physical abu se during the past year A measure of child symptoms based on DSM-IV cr iteria was used. Of the children exposed to violence, 13% qualified fo r a complete posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) diagnosis. However 52 % suffered from intrusive and unwanted remembering of the traumatic ev ent(s), 19% displayed traumatic avoidance, and 42% experienced traumat ic arousal symptoms. Children with PTSD symptoms had significantly mor e internalizing behavioral problems, as expected; they also had more e xternalizing problems than did children without trauma symptoms.