Complex traumatic stress in the pediatric medical setting.

There has been a recent increase in research focusing on child complex traumatic stress following prolonged or repeated trauma. These traumatic stress reactions often affect many aspects of the child's functioning, including psychological, behavioral, and physical health. In addition, complex traumatic stress experienced by youth with serious medical conditions may influence health issues such as medical adherence, emotional adjustment to illness, and pain management.

Predicting posttraumatic stress following pediatric injury: a systematic review.

Objective: To review the recent empirical literature concerning development of posttraumatic stress symptoms following pediatric injury and summarize risk and predictive factors that will inform clinical practice and research.

Methods: A systematic search of online databases such as PsycInfo, PILOTS, MedLine, and PubMed was performed. Further studies were identified through the reference lists of selected articles.

Identifying the variables impacting post-burn psychological adjustment: a meta-analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate variables that have the greatest impact on psychological adjustment after burn injury among children, adolescents, and young adults.

Methods: Meta-analytical procedures were utilized to determine the strength of association indices of identified impact variables. Only 13 articles were utilized due to the scarcity of and statistical limitations of the research.

Differential symptom pattern of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in maltreated children with and without concurrent depression.

Objective: The present study attempted to examine specific differences in the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology among abused children with and without concurrent depression.

Method: PTSD and depressive symptoms were identified that discriminate between 98 children divided into three groups: (1) abused children with PTSD, (2) nonabused children who meet criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and (3) abused children with both PTSD and MDD.

Results: Analyses revealed that nine items reflecting depressive symptomatology, primarily vegetative symptoms, differentiated the diagnostic groups (PTSD-only, MDD-only, and the combined group).