Relationships between traumatic exposure, family connectedness, and posttraumatic stress among children and adolescents

McGuire-Schwartz, M. Relationships between traumatic exposure, family connectedness, and posttraumatic stress among children and adolescents. New York University, PhD, May, 2016. Objective: Given the high prevalence of trauma exposure among children and adolescents in the United States and the risk of negative outcomes for people exposed to traumatic experiences during youth, it is very important that we continue to develop our understanding of conditions and interventions that can contribute to improved outcomes for children and families who have experienced trauma. Methods: This study consisted of the analysis of secondary data collected by the Child and Adolescent Trauma Treatments and Services Consortium (CATS). Multivariate analyses were conducted using SEM. Results: Within the multivariate model, family involvement did not serve as a moderator between exposure to potentially traumatic events and posttraumatic stress symptoms. For some youth, particularly those who have experienced multiple potentially traumatic events, family involvement may not play a significantly protective role in buffering youth responses to potentially traumatic events. Instead, other contextual factors may play larger roles. This may be particularly true in the cases of potentially traumatic events that occurred within the family, such as domestic violence and physical abuse. Conclusions: This study reinforces the need for trauma-informed care. More specifically, it highlights the need for effective treatment for youth who have experienced potentially traumatic events, related to domestic violence and otherwise, in order to decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms. There is a need for both systemic and clinical interventions to reduce the prevalence of potentially traumatic events among youth and the effects of these events on them. This is particularly the case for urban youth and most urgently for African American/black youth. It is important for practitioners to understand that exposure to potentially traumatic events may have long term outcomes, particularly in the case of increased arousal symptoms. These symptoms may also vary over time. Finally, this study supports the need to complete a thorough, multicontextual assessment, with the understanding that strengths related to family connectedness may not be protective for all youth.