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Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity
Published on: July 1, 2014
A relational perspective on PTSD in early childhood
1Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. mscheer@tulane.edu
Parental and family factors significantly influence posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children. Understanding the parent-child relationship is crucial for effective treatment and research into childhood trauma.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Family Systems
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children is a significant concern.
- The influence of the relational context on childhood PTSD requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on the importance of the relational context in childhood PTSD.
- To present models explaining how parental/family variables impact child PTSD symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 17 studies assessing parental and child functioning post-trauma.
- Development of a model for parental variables as moderators and vicarious trauma agents.
- Proposal of a Compound Model detailing parent-child relationship patterns.
Main Results:
- Consistent association found between negative parental/family variables and maladaptive child outcomes.
- Parental factors act as moderators and vicarious traumatic agents for child PTSD.
- Three distinct parent-child relationship patterns impact childhood PTSD symptomatology.
Conclusions:
- The relational context is critical for understanding and treating childhood PTSD.
- Clinical practice should consider family dynamics in trauma-exposed children.
- Further research is needed to explore these relational impacts on child trauma.
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