Empirical support for the definition of a complex trauma event in children and adolescents.

Complex trauma events have been defined as chronic, interpersonal traumas that begin early in life (Cook, Blaustein, Spinazzola, & van der Kolk, 2003). The complex trauma definition has been examined in adults, as indicated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) field trial; however, this research was lacking in child populations.