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Assessment of PTSD and posttraumatic symptomatology in very young children: A systematic review
Nina Moner1, Andrea Soubelet1, Lucrezia Barbieri1
1University of Cote d'Azur, Nice, France.
Insights
This study reviewed English-language tools for assessing trauma symptoms in very young children (0-5 years). It identified 21 instruments, highlighting the need for quantitative comparison to find the most sensitive and specific assessments for early childhood trauma.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Psychometric Assessment
Background:
- Very young children are a vulnerable population susceptible to trauma exposure and psychopathological responses like PTSD.
- Accurate assessment is crucial for directing young children to appropriate care pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify available English-language instruments for assessing posttraumatic symptoms in children aged 0–5 years.
- To provide an overview of existing assessment tools for early childhood trauma.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of instruments was conducted.
- Searches were performed using Google Scholar, Science Direct, PsycArticles, and PubMed.
Main Results:
- A total of 21 instruments were identified for assessing traumatic symptomatology in young children.
- Instruments varied in age appropriateness (0-7 years, 1-6 years, 2-18 years), objectives, and diagnostic algorithms.
Conclusions:
- The review identified a range of tools for assessing trauma symptoms in young children.
- Future research should quantitatively compare these instruments to determine their specificity and sensitivity for early childhood trauma assessment.
Context:
Very young children are said to be a vulnerable group for exposure to trauma, and for a psychopathological response (e.g., PTSD) after a risk-exposure. The specific assessment of young children is necessary to enable them to be enrolled in an appropriate care pathway.
Objective:
The objective was to identify the instruments available in the English language for the assessment of posttraumatic symptoms in very young children (from 0- to 5-year old).
Design:
This article reports on a systematic review, conducted using the search engines Google Scholar, Science Direct, PsycArticles, and PubMed.
Results:
Nine instruments are available to specifically assess traumatic symptomatology in very young children (0-7-year old), five instruments are available for the broader assessment of very young children (1-6-year old), six instruments are available for the assessment of traumatic symptoms in very young children and in older children (2-18-year old), one instrument did not correspond to any category. These 21 tools are adapted to different ages, built according to different objectives, and do not rely on the same diagnostic algorithm.
Conclusion:
Future research should compare the instruments quantitatively to identify those most specific and sensitive to the assessment of trauma symptoms in young children.
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