Empirical support for the definition of a complex trauma event in children and adolescents
Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Traumatic Stress
Abstract
Complex trauma events have been defined as chronic, interpersonal traumas that begin early in life (Cook, Blaustein, Spinazzola, & van der
Kolk, 2003). The complex trauma definition has been examined in adults, as indicated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) field trial; however, this research was lacking in child populations. The symptom presentations of complexly
traumatized children were contrasted with those exposed to other, less severe trauma ecologies that met 1 or 2 features of the complex
trauma definition. Included in this study were 346 treatment-seeking children and adolescents (ages 3–18 years) who had experienced a
traumatic event. Results indicated that child survivors of complex trauma presented with higher levels of generalized behavior problems
and trauma-related symptoms than those who experienced (a) acute noninterpersonal trauma, (b) chronic interpersonal trauma that begins
later in life, and (c) acute interpersonal trauma. Greater levels of behavioral problems were observed in children exposed to complex trauma
as compared to those who experienced a traumatic event that begins early in life. These results provide support for the complex trauma
event definition and suggest the need for a complex trauma diagnostic construct for children and adolescents.
Description
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Article
item.page.format
Keywords
complex trauma, definitions, diagnosis
Citation
Wamser‐Nanney, R., & Vandenberg, B. R. (2013). Empirical support for the definition of a complex trauma event in children and adolescents. Journal of traumatic stress, 26(6), 671-678.
URI
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/37411238/Wamser-Nanney_et_al-2013-Journal_of_Traumatic_Stress.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1501791024&Signature=8At3oVh8%2BtbbUajwGR%2Bt26LLhI4%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DEmpirical_Support_for_the_Definition_of.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/11212/3476
http://hdl.handle.net/11212/3476