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Clinical predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder after closed head injury in children

Joan P Gerring1, Beth Slomine, Roma A Vasa

  • 1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. jgerring@jhmi.edu

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|February 12, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Thirteen percent of children with severe closed head injury (CHI) developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Female gender and early anxiety symptoms predicted PTSD after CHI, similar to other trauma types.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Neuropsychiatry
  • Trauma research

Background:

  • Children with severe closed head injury (CHI) and amnesia are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).
  • Understanding the characteristics and predictors of these conditions is crucial for early intervention and improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify injury, demographic, and neuropsychiatric characteristics associated with PTSD and PTSS development in children following CHI.
  • To compare predictors of PTSD/PTSS after CHI with those observed in non-head injury trauma.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up of 95 children with severe CHI and event-related amnesia for 1 year.
  • Structured parent and child interviews conducted twice (shortly after injury and at 1-year follow-up) to assess premorbid status, current symptoms, and diagnostic status.
  • Outcome measures included PTSD diagnosis (parent/child report) and PTSS severity (parent/child report).

Main Results:

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) developed in 13% of children by 1 year post-CHI.
  • Predictors of PTSD included female gender and early post-CHI anxiety symptoms.
  • Predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) encompassed premorbid psychosocial adversity, premorbid anxiety, injury severity, early post-CHI depression, and nonanxiety psychiatric diagnoses.

Conclusions:

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurred in a notable proportion of children with severe CHI and amnesia.
  • Identified predictors of PTSD and PTSS after CHI align with those found in children experiencing non-head injury trauma.
  • Findings underscore the importance of considering psychological sequelae after pediatric head injuries.
Abstract

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