Estrés postraumático en niños y adolescentes abusados sexualmente

Abstract

Introduction: The development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a frequently observed effect of sexual abuse among children and adolescents. Objectives: This study focused on the prevalence of PTSD among children and adolescents who were victims of sexual abuse. Method: A sample of 75 sexually abused children and adolescentes seeking outpatient care were evaluated utilizing a Children's Post Traumatic Stress Scale (CPSS). Results: 21.3% met the criteria for PTSD, an additional 16% met the criteria for a SubSyndrome. Conclusions: These data confirm the importance of focusing on post-traumatic symptomatology on sexually abused children and adolescents. Equally important is the finding that the majority of the children in the sample did not show symptomatology at the time of the study.