Usual Care for Maltreatment-Related Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Germany

Child maltreatment represents a major risk factor for the development of emotional and behavioral problems, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While effective trauma-focused treatments are available, little is known about the usual mental healthcare for abused youths in Germany. The present study compared the utilization of mental healthcare in abused youths who had developed a PTSD (N = 95) with a group presenting other mental disorders (N = 146). Semistructured interviews were used to assess maltreatment histories, current mental health, and healthcare utilization. In addition, potential child factors associated with access to mental healthcare (age and level of functioning) were examined. Results showed that 65 % of both diagnostic groups currently fail to use any mental healthcare service. Of the participants with PTSD, 43 (45 %) had never received any mental healthcare intervention. Investigations on potential barriers are necessary to close the huge gap between clinical services and evidence-based, trauma-focused interventions.