Demographic, Maltreatment, and Neurobiological Correlates of PTSD Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

Objective To examine the relationships of demographic, maltreatment, neurostructural and neuropsychological measures with total posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods Participants included 216 children with maltreatment histories (N = 49), maltreatment and PTSD (N = 49), or no maltre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pediatric psychology 2010-06, Vol.35 (5), p.570-577
Main Authors: De Bellis, Michael D., Hooper, Stephen R., Woolley, Donald P., Shenk, Chad E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Child
Child Abuse - psychology
Child Abuse - statistics & numerical data
Child Abuse, Sexual - psychology
Child Abuse, Sexual - statistics & numerical data
Child, Preschool
childhood maltreatment
Dominance, Cerebral - physiology
Female
hippocampus
Hippocampus - pathology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Interview, Psychological
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data
North Carolina
Organ Size - physiology
Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology
posttraumatic stress disorder
Psychometrics
Section II: Biologic Systems
Socioeconomic Factors
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
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Summary:Objective To examine the relationships of demographic, maltreatment, neurostructural and neuropsychological measures with total posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods Participants included 216 children with maltreatment histories (N = 49), maltreatment and PTSD (N = 49), or no maltreatment (N = 118). Participants received diagnostic interviews, brain imaging, and neuropsychological evaluations. Results We examined a hierarchical regression model comprised of independent variables including demographics, trauma and maltreatment-related variables, and hippocampal volumes and neuropsychological measures to model PTSD symptoms. Important independent contributors to this model were SES, and General Maltreatment and Sexual Abuse Factors. Although hippocampal volumes were not significant, Visual Memory was a significant contributor to this model. Conclusions Similar to adult PTSD, pediatric PTSD symptoms are associated with lower Visual Memory performance. It is an important correlate of PTSD beyond established predictors of PTSD symptoms. These results support models of developmental traumatology and suggest that treatments which enhance visual memory may decrease symptoms of PTSD.
ISSN:0146-8693
1465-735X
DOI:10.1093/jpepsy/jsp116