Posttraumatic stress in children following acute physical injury

Citation
J. Aaron et al., Posttraumatic stress in children following acute physical injury, J PED PSYCH, 24(4), 1999, pp. 335-343
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY
ISSN journal
01468693 → ACNP
Volume
24
Issue
4
Year of publication
1999
Pages
335 - 343
Database
ISI
SICI code
0146-8693(199908)24:4<335:PSICFA>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Objective: To prospectively assess the presence of posttraumatic stress dis order (PTSD) in children hospitalized following acute physical injury. The focus was identification of the incidence of PTSD, PTSD symptoms, and explo ration of factors associated with development of PTSD symptoms and disorder . Method: Forty children ages 8-17 were interviewed approximately 1 month fol lowing a serious injury and assessed for PTSD, pretrauma behavior problems, levels of peritraumatic fear, and posttraumatic thought suppression. Results: Twenty-two and a half percent of participants met DSM-IV diagnosti c criteria for PTSD; 47.5% met criteria for at least two of the three PTSD symptom clusters. Greater thought suppression was associated with increased symptoms of PTSD, as were the child's peritraumatic fear response and pret rauma internalizing behaviors. Conclusions: Results suggest that many children who have been hospitalized for physical trauma may be experiencing clinically significant PTSD symptom atology and may benefit from psychological as well as medical intervention.