Traumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Children are exposed to traumatic events at alarming rates, and evidence suggests that this exposure may have profound effects on development and well-being. Most research on the sequelae of traumatic stress has been on adults, but evidence suggests that children are exposed and react similarly to threatening events and experience mild and severe symptoms of stress as well. In this chapter, we discuss the consequences of stress and trauma among children. Precipitating events and mediating variables are considered as well as common symptoms of distress along a developmental continuum. Parallels with adults' responses to stress and with posttraumatic stress syndromes are also considered. The dependent nature of children may put them at greater risk for exposure to some traumatic stressors and may exacerbate the impact of others. General effects of extreme stressors are negative, and many children are resilient in the face of such stress. However, some experience stress and develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other poststressor syndromes. Of particular concern among young children is the possibility that trauma can have broader, systemic effects, sensitizing them to stressors, altering belief systems and worldview, and affecting their sexual and maturational progress in critical development phases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (chapter)