Norwich, England — A recent study from the University of East Anglia (UEA) has shed light on the factors that influence why certain children and adolescents develop mental health disorders, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression, following traumatic events. While many children recover from trauma without long-lasting effects, some experience persistent mental health challenges that can continue into adulthood.
The research team conducted a study involving 260 children aged between eight and 17 who visited a hospital emergency department after experiencing various one-off traumatic incidents, including car accidents, assaults, dog attacks, and medical emergencies. Participants were assessed at two and nine weeks post-trauma through self-report questionnaires completed by the children, telephone interviews with parents, and relevant hospital data. This comprehensive approach allowed researchers to develop predictive models to identify risk factors associated with PTSD, Complex PTSD (CPTSD), depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
The results at nine weeks post-trauma revealed that:
64% of the participants showed no signs of any disorder.
23.5% met the criteria for PTSD.
5.2% met the criteria for CPTSD.
23.9% had clinically significant symptoms of depression.
10.7% had clinically significant symptoms of GAD.
Cognitive Factors at Play
The study found that cognitive psychological factors—particularly how children remember the trauma and their self-perceptions afterward—were the strongest predictors of adverse mental health outcomes. A cognitive model focusing on individual thought processes was found to be the most accurate in predicting the development of mental health issues, while models that examined social and psychological factors were less effective.
Interestingly, the children’s personal perceptions of the event’s severity had a more significant impact on their mental health than the objective facts about the event itself. Miss Lofthouse, a key researcher on the study, stated, “Negative thoughts about the traumatic event were a major predictor of all types of mental health problems studied.” She emphasized the importance of addressing these negative thought patterns in therapeutic contexts, specifically through trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
The study expands upon previous research that identified a correlation between a child’s belief that their reactions to trauma are abnormal and the likelihood of developing PTSD. This new study delves deeper into various mental health outcomes, including complex PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Complex PTSD encompasses all the symptoms of PTSD but includes additional emotional and psychological challenges, such as:
Difficulty managing extreme emotions
Deep feelings of shame, guilt, or worthlessness
Trouble trusting others
Feelings of detachment or isolation
Ongoing relationship conflicts
The findings are significant as there have been few studies that directly compare different models for predicting mental health outcomes in trauma-exposed individuals, especially in children and adolescents. The research supports the notion that cognitive processes surrounding trauma significantly influence the development of PTSD, CPTSD, depression, and anxiety.
The researchers highlighted that future investigations could explore specific thoughts tied to particular disorders or examine general distress following trauma. Additionally, they considered factors like other life stressors and the presence of ongoing physical pain in their analyses.
This research, supported by the Medical Research Council and conducted in collaboration with various esteemed institutions, underscores the importance of cognitive assessments in understanding the psychological aftermath of trauma in young people. 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, marking a vital contribution to the field of child psychology and trauma research.
You Might Be Interested In:
-
How Can You Boost Mental Health in War-Torn Ukraine? A New Commission Has Some Ideas
-
More Than 15 Million U.S. Adults Have ADHD, New Study Estimates
