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Post-traumatic stress disorder in paediatric patients and their parents: an exploratory study
M A Landolt1, U Boehler, C Schwager
1Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. mlandolt@kispi.unizh.ch
Insights
High rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affect children and parents after serious medical events. PTSD was rare in low-risk groups, with parents reporting more symptoms than children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Traumatic events in childhood can lead to significant psychological distress.
- Understanding the prevalence and impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in pediatric populations is crucial.
- Parental psychological well-being is closely linked to child outcomes following trauma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in pediatric patients.
- To assess PTSD rates in parents of pediatric patients.
- To compare PTSD prevalence between high-risk and low-risk pediatric groups.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 23 high-risk (accidents, cancer) and 11 low-risk (surgery) pediatric patients and their parents were recruited.
- Participants were assessed 6-8 weeks post-event using a DSM-IV based diagnostic interview.
- The PTSD Symptom Scale was administered to quantify symptom severity.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of PTSD was observed in children and parents within the high-risk group.
- PTSD was nearly absent in the low-risk group.
- Parents reported higher PTSD symptom levels than their children, irrespective of risk group.
Conclusions:
- The findings support a post-traumatic stress model for understanding the psychological impact of severe pediatric medical events.
- Interventions addressing PTSD in pediatric patients and their families are warranted following high-risk events.
- The results highlight the significant psychological burden on parents caring for critically ill or injured children.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in a selected population of paediatric patients and their parents.
Methodology:
Twenty-three high-risk patients (serious accidents, newly diagnosed cancer) and 11 low-risk patients (simple planned surgery) and their parents were consecutively selected and assessed 6-8 weeks after the event with a DSM-IV based diagnostic interview and the PTSD Symptom Scale.
Results:
There is a high prevalence of PTSD in children and parents of the high-risk group. In the low-risk group such disorders are almost nonexistent. Parents in both groups report more PTSD symptoms than their children. Sex and age of the child and duration of hospitalisation have no significant influence on the development of PTSD.
Conclusions:
The high prevalence of PTSD in high-risk paediatric patients and their parents offers support for the applicability of a post-traumatic stress model for understanding the psychological impact of accidents, severe illnesses and their medical treatment.