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Posttraumatic stress disorder: the missed diagnosis
Damion Grasso1, Joseph Boonsiri, Deborah Lipschitz
1University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
Child Welfare
|April 22, 2010
Summary
Accurate diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in maltreated children requires protective services information. Without this data, PTSD diagnoses were missed, highlighting the need for collaboration between child welfare and mental health professionals.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Social Work
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often underdiagnosed in children who have experienced maltreatment.
- Accurate trauma histories are essential for identifying PTSD in this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the impact of protective services information on the diagnosis of PTSD in maltreated children.
- To emphasize the importance of inter-agency collaboration for accurate psychiatric assessment.
Main Methods:
- The study analyzed cases of maltreated children where PTSD diagnosis was considered.
- Parent and child reports were compared with available protective services information.
Main Results:
- A significant proportion of PTSD diagnoses were missed when protective services information was not utilized.
- Parent and child self-reports alone were insufficient for complete diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Protective services information is critical for the accurate diagnosis of PTSD in maltreated children.
- Collaboration between mental health professionals and protective service workers is vital for appropriate psychiatric diagnoses and treatment planning for children in the child welfare system.
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