Trauma-Related Symptoms in Neglected Preschoolers and Affective Quality of Mother-Child Communication

• NCJ Number: 232387
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2010 Pages: 293-304
• Author(s): Tristan Milot; Diane St-Laurent; Louise S. Ethier; Marc A. Provost
• Date Published: November 2010
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 410-2003-1175; 2004-AI-93499
• Sponsoring Agency: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated whether child neglect was associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and examined whether the quality of mother-child communication was significant in the development of trauma-related symptoms in neglected children.

Abstract

This study (a) assessed whether child neglect is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative symptoms in the preschool period and (b) examined the role of quality of motherchild affective communication in the development of trauma-related symptoms among neglected children. Participants were 33 neglected and 72 non-neglected preschoolers (mean age = 60 months). Neglected children were recruited from the Child Protection Agencies. Neglected and non-neglected children victims of other form of abuse were excluded from the study. Trauma symptoms were evaluated through mother and preschool teacher reports. Quality of motherchild affective communication was assessed in a lab visit during an unstructured task. According to teachers, neglected children displayed more PTSD and dissociative symptoms than non-neglected children. Quality of motherchild communication was lower in neglected dyads. Motherchild affective communication predicted teacher-reported child trauma symptomatology, over and above child neglect. Discussion focuses on the traumatic nature of child neglect and the underlying parentchild relational processes. Tables and references (Published Abstract)