meta-analysis.docx (179.18 kB)
A meta-analysis of risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 12:45 authored by David Trickey, Andy P Siddaway, Richard Meiser-Stedman, Lucy Serpell, Andy FieldAndy FieldPost traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex and chronic disorder that causes substantial distress and interferes with social and educational functioning. Consequently, identifying the risk factors that make a child more likely to experience traumatic distress is of academic, clinical and social importance. This meta-analysis estimated the population effect sizes of 25 potential risk factors for PTSD in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years across 64 studies (N = 32,238). Medium to large effect sizes were shown for many factors relating to subjective experience of the event and post-trauma variables (low social support, peri-trauma fear, perceived life threat, social withdrawal, comorbid psychological problem, poor family functioning, distraction, PTSD at time 1, and thought suppression); whereas pre-trauma variables and more objective measures of the assumed severity of the event generated small to medium effect sizes. This indicates that subjective peri-trauma factors and post-event factors are likely to have a major role in determining whether a child develops PTSD following exposure to a traumatic event. Such factors could potentially be assessed following a potentially traumatic event in order to screen for those most vulnerable to developing PTSD and target treatment efforts accordingly. The findings support the cognitive model of PTSD as a way of understanding its development and guiding interventions to reduce symptoms.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Clinical Psychology ReviewISSN
0272-7358Publisher
ElsevierExternal DOI
Issue
2Volume
32Page range
122-138Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2012-11-08First Open Access (FOA) Date
2016-03-22First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2019-06-14Usage metrics
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