Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children and Adolescents Referred for Child Welfare Investigation: A National Sample of In-Home and Out-of-Home Care

• NCJ Number: 229521
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2010 Pages: 48-63
• Author(s): David J. Kolko; Michael S. Hurlburt; Jinjin Zhang; Richard P. Barth; Laurel K. Leslie; Barbara J. Burns
• Date Published: February 2010
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH59672; 90PH0006
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in children and adolescents referred to child welfare.

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence and correlates of heightened posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in a nationally representative sample of 1,848 children and adolescents (ages 8-14) who were referred to child welfare for investigation of abuse or neglect based on the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The severity of current PTS symptoms was assessed using the PTS subscale of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, a standardized child-report scale evaluating common symptoms associated with trauma. The overall prevalence of clinically significant PTS symptoms was 11.7 percent (overall mean T score = 49.5). The prevalence was higher for cases that were placed in out-of-home care (19.2 percent) than those maintained at home (10.7 percent). Multivariate hierarchical regression identified four contributors to heightened PTS symptoms: younger child age, abuse by a nonbiological parent, violence in the home, and child depression. The authors discuss the modest but still lower than expected prevalence of self-reported, clinically significant PTS symptoms and the variables associated with greater risk for heightened PTS symptoms found among cases referred to child welfare services. Tables, figure, and references (Published Abstract)