Physical and Sexual Abuse in Childhood-Relationship With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• NCJ Number: 136475
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1991) Pages: 776-783
• Author(s): L J Kiser; J Heston; P A Millsap; D B Pruitt
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Children and adolescents (N = 163) who were consecutively admitted to a day treatment program participated in a study designed to explore the clinical manifestations of childhood abuse and especially the relationship between physical and/or sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Abstract

A majority (55 percent) of this clinical population developed symptoms characteristic of post-traumatic stress disorder, and those abused children and adolescents who did not develop associated post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms exhibited more anxiety, depression, externalizing behaviors, and more problems overall. Children and adolescents reacting to single event abuse displayed significantly more behavior disorders. The symptoms of victims of ongoing abuse, who appeared significantly more disturbed, ranged from depression to psychosis. 1 figure, 9 tables, and 38 references