Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Posttraumatic Symptoms in 3–7 Year Old Trauma‑Exposed Children: Links to Impairment, Other Mental Health Symptoms, Caregiver PTSD, and Caregiver Stress

Cervin, Matti LU ; Salloum, Alison ; Ruth, Leigh J and Storch, Eric A (2020) In Child Psychiatry and Human Development
Abstract
Few 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... (More)
Few 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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85096754561
  • pmid:33245454
ISSN
0009-398X
DOI
10.1007/s10578-020-01093-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e0329027-6c8f-4878-ad12-1994c8fd8f75
date added to LUP
2020-11-28 11:46:45
date last changed
2022-04-26 22:10:32
@article{e0329027-6c8f-4878-ad12-1994c8fd8f75,
  abstract     = {{Few 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.}},
  author       = {{Cervin, Matti and Salloum, Alison and Ruth, Leigh J and Storch, Eric A}},
  issn         = {{0009-398X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Child Psychiatry and Human Development}},
  title        = {{Posttraumatic Symptoms in 3–7 Year Old Trauma‑Exposed Children: Links to Impairment, Other Mental Health Symptoms, Caregiver PTSD, and Caregiver Stress}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-01093-3}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10578-020-01093-3}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}