Child Maltreatment and the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Annotation: Are Children of Alcoholics a Clinical Concern for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists of Today?

“…Other studies have also emphasised the risk for daughters of alcohohc fathers to be involved in parent-child incest (Lustig, Dresser, & Spellman, 1966;Nedoma et al, 1969;Soderling, 1952). Famularo, Fenton, and Kinscherff (1993) discuss the risk of children of alcoholics developing post-traumatic stress syndromes, and a much earlier Pohsh study (Swiecicki, 1969) also indicates the existence of symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. From an original cohort of 146 children of alcohohcs, 136 (69 boys and 67 girls) were traced and investigated 10 years later and compared to a control group without an alcoholic father.…”

Common Mental Health Correlates of Domestic Violence

“…Pediatric PTSD was significantly correlated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, other anxiety disorders, the presence of suicidal tendencies, and mood disorders (Famularo et al, 1996). In addition, children who are exposed to serious domestic violence or are sexually abused appear to develop PTSD at a higher rate than other mistreated children (Famularo, Fenton, & Kinscherff, 1993). They are also more likely to attempt suicide (Thompson et al, 1999).…”

Recognizing the importance of childhood maltreatment as a critical factor in psychiatric diagnoses, treatment, research, prevention, and education

“…Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often applied as a diagnostic label to individuals with mental illness secondary to CM, but the criteria actually required for a PTSD diagnosis are not met by most victims of CM. For example, Famularo et al [95] found that only 35% of severely maltreated and psychologically traumatized children who were removed from parental custody due to the trauma actually met strict criteria for PTSD. This is not necessarily a matter of resilience.…”