A recent study from the University of East Anglia has revealed why some children and adolescents develop mental health disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression after experiencing traumatic events. While many young people recover well after trauma, some may suffer long-term mental health issues.
The research involved 260 children aged 8 to 17 who visited a hospital emergency department following single traumatic incidents, including car accidents, assaults, dog bites, and other medical emergencies. The study assessed these children at two and nine weeks after their trauma, using self-report questionnaires, telephone interviews with parents, and hospital data. The team created four predictive models to identify risk factors for PTSD, Complex PTSD (CPTSD), depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
At nine weeks after the traumatic event, the findings showed that 64% of the children had no signs of any mental health disorder. However, 23.5% met the criteria for PTSD, while 5.2% met the criteria for CPTSD. Additionally, 23.9% and 10.7% exhibited clinically significant symptoms of depression and GAD, respectively.
The study found that cognitive psychological factors—how children remember the event and how they view themselves afterward—are the strongest predictors of mental health outcomes following trauma. A cognitive model that assessed thought patterns was more accurate in predicting future mental health issues compared to models focusing on social and psychological factors. Notably, a child’s perception of the event’s severity impacted their mental health more than objective facts about the incident.
Researcher Miss Lofthouse stated, “These findings highlight risk factors for developing mental health disorders after trauma in youth. Negative thoughts about the traumatic event were major predictors of all mental health problems studied. This supports the use of treatments like trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which aims to address these negative thoughts.”
The research also indicated that poor memory of the trauma specifically predicted PTSD, suggesting that certain symptoms might help identify different mental health outcomes.
Previous studies from UEA have shown that children are more likely to experience PTSD if they feel their reaction to trauma is abnormal. This latest research expands on that by exploring other mental health outcomes like complex PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Complex PTSD includes all PTSD symptoms, along with additional severe emotional and psychological effects. These can manifest as difficulty managing extreme emotions, feelings of shame or worthlessness, trust issues, isolation, and conflicts in relationships.
The researchers noted that few studies have compared how well different models predict mental health outcomes in trauma survivors, especially among young people. With the recent recognition of Complex PTSD as a diagnosis, the team aimed to determine if mental health issues in traumatized youth could be predicted effectively.
The study considered various factors, including other life stressors and ongoing pain the child might be experiencing. The results support the idea that a person’s thoughts about their trauma significantly influence PTSD and indicate that this cognitive model also applies to CPTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Future research could further examine specific thoughts linked to particular disorders or focus on general distress following trauma.
This work was supported by the Medical Research Council and involved collaboration between the University of East Anglia, the University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Macquarie University, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and King’s College London. The study, titled “Predictive Models of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Following a Single-Event Trauma,” is published in Psychological Medicine.
Related topics:
- Mucinex and Pregnancy: A Viral Theory
- Tenth Death Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Boar’s Head Deli Meat Plant
- Startup Aims to Help Users Sleep with Innovative EEG Headband
