Tom Hoeg e Book: Child Abuse Victims, Combat Veterans and PTSD

Communication Disorders Quarterly, 2008

The number of military personnel who are involved in combat situations continues to increase. As a result, researchers have identified risk factors associated with the development of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors of this article review some of the characteristics of military personnel involved in these conflicts, factors unique to the current military actions, and symptom presentation and prevalence rates of PTSD among those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They discuss mechanisms for the transgenerational transmission of trauma symptoms and identify strategies for interventions.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 2003

Systematic examination of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children is relatively recent. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (DSM-III) [1] was the first to formally recognized PTSD as a diagnostic entity. Not until publication of the revised edition (DSM-III-R) [2] was the diagnosis formally recognized in children and adolescents, although anecdotal reports of children's trauma reactions were reported before that time [3,4]. Research within the past two decades has increased knowledge significantly concerning children's reactions to traumatic events. These studies have focused on children's reactions to a diverse set of potentially traumatic experiences, including man-made and natural disasters [5-9], war [10], community and family violence [11-13], physical and sexual assault [14,15], motor vehicle crashes [16], parental loss [17], and chronic illness [18,19]. Whereas earlier studies focused on general disruptions in children's functioning and adjustment [6,20,21], more recent studies have examined the likelihood that children develop PTSD after traumatic events and the conditions associated with the emergence of PTSD in children [22-27]. Studies have examined the posttraumatic responses of youth across the age range from preschool [28,29] through adolescence [30]. These studies clearly indicate that PTSD is a significant outcome of many different forms of childhood trauma. Although longitudinal studies indicate that the number and severity of children's PTSD symptoms decrease with time [12,24,31], many children continue to experience significant adjustment difficulties after trauma for extended periods [24,32]. Whereas symptomatic expression may not be of sufficient severity to warrant a PTSD diagnosis, it may still impair day-today and long-term functioning [33].

Medical Archives, 2016

Introduction: Behavioral problems and emotional difficulties at children of the veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have not been researched entirely. In our country, which has a lot of persons suffering from some psychological traumas, this trauma seems to continue. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the exposure, manifestations of behavioral problems and emotional difficulties at children and early adolescents, whose fathers were the veterans of war demonstrating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Respondents and methods: The analyzed group comprised 120 school age children (10-15 years of age), whose parents/fathers were the veterans of war. The children were divided into two groups, and each group into the following two age subgroups: 10-12 (children) and 13-15 (early adolescents) according to PTSD presence at their fathers-veterans of war. PTSD symptoms at fathers, veterans of war, were assessed using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-Bosnia and Herzegovina version and MKB-10-audit of criteria. To assess the behavioral problems of children, the Child Behavior Checklist for parents was used, and to evaluate the neuroticism at children Hanes-Scale of neuroticism-extraversion was used while the depression level was evaluated using the Depression self-rating scale (DSRS). To analyze the obtained results, SPSS 17 program was used. The value p <0. 05 is considered significant. Results: Children of fathers, the veterans of war, demonstrating the PTSD symptoms show more problems in activity, social and school conduct as well as in symptoms of behavioral problems compared to the children whose fathers do not demonstrate the PTSD symptoms (p<0. 001). Children of the war veterans demonstrating the symptoms of the post-traumatic stress disorder show significant difference at neuroticism sub-scales (p<0.001). Negative correlation between PTSD and activity, social and school conduct has been determined (p <0. 01), while positive correlation was determined between PTSD of war veterans with symptoms and neuroticism at children (p <0. 01). Depression symptoms are found at 17.5% children, while 28.3% are in the risky group and the girls demonstrate higher depression level. Conclusion: Children and early adolescents of fathers-veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder show significant differences in competencies, behavior, emotional difficulties and neuroticism. Significant correlation was found between psychopathology of parents-fathers the veterans of war and their children. Impact of psychological conditions of fathers-the veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder to children is strong and they represent a significant risky group for development of mental disorders.

The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 2014

Acamh Occasional Papers Evidence Based Psychotherapies in Camhs, 2007

Follow-Up of Child War-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Other Psychiatric Disorders in Two Exposed Towns in Cundinamarca, Colombia, 2012

OBJECTIVE To determine the evolution of war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychiatric disorders, and associated factors, in school-aged children. METHODS Of 493 school-aged children evaluated initially in two war-exposed towns of Cundinamarca, Colombia, 148 children who were diagnosed with war-related PTSD, anxiety, or depression were invited to participate in a second follow-up assessment. Fifty-five children attended and were evaluated with a semi-structured psychiatric interview and the clinician-administered posttraumatic stress scale. RESULTS PTSD persisted in 50% of the children. Statistical associations were found between persistent PTSD and global child abuse (OR􏰁17.8, 95% CI􏰁2.73􏰂116.8), psychological child abuse (OR􏰁16.0, 95% CI􏰁1.7􏰂154.6), psychosomatic disorder (OR􏰁6.0, 95% CI􏰁1.2􏰂30.7), simple phobia (OR􏰁6.0, 95% CI􏰁1.2􏰂30.7), learning disorder (P􏰁.008), major depressive disorder (P􏰁.021, Fisher exact test), and habitual alcohol consumption (P􏰁.050, Fisher exact test). Compared with the initial evaluation, this assessment found higher frequencies of anxiety disorder (73.3% vs 6.7%, McNemar test, PB.001) and child abuse (66.7% vs 20.0%, McNemar test, P􏰁.008). Multivariate analysis found child abuse as predictor of persistent PSTD. CONCLUSIONS There was a high level of persistent war-related PSTD and child psychopathology. A civil population exposed to war events is at a high mental health risk. These children require urgent specialized mental health intervention in order to improve and to reduce long-term persistence of negative effects on their mental health. Child abuse prevention is essential for recovery from childhood PTSD. Keywords: follow-up studies, posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, war, child psychiatry, comorbidity, clinical evolution, child abuse Corresponding author: Isabel Perez-Olmos, MD, MSc (Epidemiology), Office of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad del Rosario, Kr 24 # 63C-69, Bogota ́, Colombia. Tel: +57(601)347-45-70; e-mail: [email protected]

Military Medicine, 2012

In the past decade, military personnel supporting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have faced multiple deployments and repeated traumatic stressors. Despite efforts to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other combat-related emotional difficulties, a significant number of military personnel experience psychological injuries during and following their deployments. Despite increased attention to prevention and treatment of these problems, it is clear that substantially more work is required to fully understand the emotional impact of combat and to better intervene to prevent potentially chronic problems. In the present article, the authors discuss possible avenues for future research and interventions (clinical and otherwise) to better prevent the development of combat-related PTSD. We discuss screening, assessment, education, and intervention for PTSD throughout the deployment cycle. In this discussion, we attend to both the needs of the current cohort of combat veterans and the potential advances that may mitigate the severity and chronicity of post-traumatic problems arising from future conflicts.

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 2011

Over the past 9 years approximately 2 million U.S. military personnel have deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in and around Afghanistan. It has been estimated that 5-17% of service members returning from these deployments are at significant risk for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many of these returning war veterans will seek medical and mental health care in academic health centers. This paper reviews the unique stressors that are related to the development of combat-related PTSD. It also reviews evidence-based approaches to the assessment and treatment of PTSD, research needed to evaluate treatments for combatrelated PTSD, and opportunities and challenges for clinical psychologists working in academic health centers.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1997

PTSD has long been associated with combat trauma. More recently, PTSD has been recognized as related to other traumatic experiences. The effects of PTDS profoundly affect a person's behavior, often out of character for the person experiencing PTSD. Even if it does not bring on suicidal effects, PTSD can be impacting on family members, especially the patient's children into their adult lives. Families themselves often will not recognize or deny the need for treatment as the intensity can be variable and easy to pass off as personality traits, especially when the parent's partner tries to be a peacekeeper during familial conflict. Whether or not the patient ever receives treatment for PTSD may be important. But sometimes for their own mental health, the patient's children as adults should make a concerted effort to pursue their own counselling path so as to keep the PTSD effects from being passed along generationally to their children.