Tratamento não medicamentoso e abordagem multiprofissional

Abstract

The present study examined how exposure to traumatic events affectschildren with severe emotional disturbance who are being served in aschool-based system of care. Multilevel growth curve models were used toexamine the relationships between a child's history of traumatic events(physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence) and behavioral andemotional strengths, internalizing problem behaviors, and externalizingproblem behaviors over 18 months. Results indicate that childrenreceiving services (N = 134) exhibited increased emotional andbehavioral strengths and decreased internalizing and externalizingproblem behaviors from enrollment to 18-month follow-up. Children with ahistory of traumatic events improved more slowly than children withoutsuch a history on both strengths and internalizing problem behaviors,even after controlling for dosage of services received and othercharacteristics previously found to predict outcomes. Gender was alsorelated to improvement in internalizing symptoms. Results highlight thecontinued need to assess the impact of exposure to traumatic events forchildren served in a system of care.