Cumulative trauma and symptom complexity in children: A path analysis

Multiple trauma exposures during childhood are associated with a range of psychological symptoms later in life. In this study, we examined whether the total number of different types of trauma experienced by children (cumulative trauma) is associated with the complexity of their subsequent symptomatology, where complexity is defined as the number of different symptom clusters simultaneously elevated into the clinical range.

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Cortisol and PTSD Symptoms Among Male and Female High-Exposure 9/11 Survivors

Only a few studies have examined cortisol response to trauma-related stressors in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We followed a sample of high-exposure survivors of the attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11, 32 men and 29 women) and examined their cortisol response after recalling the escape from the attack, 7 and 18 months post-9/11. PTSD symptoms and saliva cortisol levels were assessed before and after trauma recollection. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that PTSD symptoms and male sex predicted increased cortisol response following recollections.

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Cost-effectiveness of trauma CT in the trauma room versus the radiology department: the REACT trial

ObjectiveTo determine the cost-effectiveness of trauma room CT compared with CT performed at the radiology department.MethodsIn this randomised controlled trial, adult patients requiring evaluation in a level 1 trauma centre were included. In the intervention hospital the CT system was located within the trauma room and in the control hospital within the radiology department. Direct and indirect medical costs of the institutionalised stay and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were calculated.ResultsA total of 1,124 patients were randomised with comparable demographic characteristics.

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Concurrent validity of the Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress (SIDES-SR) in a non-clinical sample of South African adolescents

The concurrent criterion-related validity of the Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress (SIDES-SR) was examined in a cross-sectional study of 719 secondary school students attending a high school in Durban, South Africa. For purposes of analysis, exposure to complex developmental trauma was defined as exposure to either chronic (>1 month) and/or multiple incidents (5+ types) of interpersonal victimisation prior to the age of 18 years.

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Complex Histories and Complex Presentations: Implementation of a Manually-Guided Group Treatment for Traumatized Adolescents

It is consistently recognized that children and adolescents who have repeatedly experienced or witnessed violence are at significant risk for a multitude of lasting difficulties across many domains of functioning. Adolescents in residential settings often have extensive trauma histories and experience profound behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal difficulties. Unfortunately, there are few structured trauma-informed treatments that have been implemented in residential settings, and even fewer that have been evaluated.

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Complex Trauma Exposure and Symptoms in Urban Traumatized Children: A Preliminary Test of Proposed Criteria for Developmental Trauma Disorder

Recently, a new diagnostic construct, developmental trauma disorder (DTD), was proposed to describe the effects of chronic exposure to violence in combination with disruptions in caregiving systems. This study uses archival data to field test the consensus proposed diagnostic criteria for DTD in a sample of urban children (N-á= 214). Children with complex trauma histories as defined in the proposed DTD Criterion A were much more likely to meet the proposed DTD symptom criteria than children who did not meet the exposure criterion.

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Complex Trauma Symptoms in Former Ugandan Child Soldiers

Children exposed to repeated interpersonal trauma often develop symptoms that exceed those documented in criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are better described with the emerging concept of developmental trauma disorder (DTD). This study examines complex trauma symptoms in a sample of 330 former Ugandan child soldiers (age 11-17 years, 49% female). Prevalence rates were 33.0% for PTSD, 36.4% for depression, and 78.2% for DTD.

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Children's symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression after a natural disaster: comorbidity and risk factors

BACKGROUND: The current study examined rates of comorbidity among children's symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depression after a natural disaster, Hurricane Ike. We also compared children with comorbid symptoms to children without comorbid symptoms, examining recovery, severity of symptoms, and risk factors. METHOD: Children (n=277, 52% girls, 38% Hispanic, 28% White, 19% Black, grades 2-4) were assessed at 8 and 15 months postdisaster.

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Challenges and Successes in Dissemination of Evidence-Based Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress: Lessons Learned From Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) poses monumental public health challenges because of its contribution to mental health, physical health, and both interpersonal and social problems. Recent military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan and the multitude of resulting cases of PTSD have highlighted the public health significance of these conditions. There are now psychological treatments that can effectively treat most individuals with PTSD, including active duty military personnel, veterans, and civilians.

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Changes in trauma memory and patterns of posttraumatic stress

The traditional static view of trauma memory holds that memories for such events are fixed and relatively unchanging over time. A more recent dynamic view proposes that memory for potential trauma, like memory for ordinary events, changes with time. The present study examined predictions from these competing theories in repeated assessments of high exposed survivors of the September 11th (9/11) attacks. Memory was assessed using both standardized questionnaires and a free recall paradigm. These data and a measure of posttraumatic stress were obtained at 7 and 18 months post-9/11.

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