Developmental trauma: Conceptual framework, associated risks and comorbidities, and evaluation and treatment

Abstract

Children exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and pervasive interpersonal traumas may go on to develop PTSD and, in most cases, will further undergo a significant shift in their developmental trajectory. This paper examines contemporary research on Developmental Trauma (DT), which is inextricably linked to disruptions in social cognition, physiological and behavioral regulation, and parent-child attachments. Developmental trauma associated with early experiences of abuse or neglect leads to multi-faceted and longstanding consequences and underscores critical periods of development, complex stress-mediated adaptations, and multilevel, trans-theoretical influences in the diagnostic formulation and treatment of traumatized children, adolescents, and adults. Psychological and medical correlates of Developmental Trauma Disorder are considered, and directions for future research are discussed.

Somatic and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children and Adolescents in France

“…18 Research has shown that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder occurring after a traumatic event (or after ACEs) in both young people and adults. 19,20 PTSD is a major chronic psychiatric condition formally recognized in 1980. 21 PTSD may occur 1 month after a direct or indirect exposure to a traumatic event, which is defined as a life-threatening condition.…”

“…Research has shown that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder occurring after a traumatic event (or after ACEs) in both young people and adults . PTSD is a major chronic psychiatric condition formally recognized in 1980 .…”

Exploring the Interplay between Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder Severity: Implications for Clinical Practice

“…Consequently, chronic exposure to childhood traumatic events is closely associated with an elevated likelihood of developing Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD) [ 3 ]. Indeed, cPTSD has gained recognition as a novel diagnosis in the Eleventh International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) [ 4 , 5 ]. The proposition of a repeated trauma-related disorder, as articulated by Herman, underscores the potentially profound impact of prolonged traumatic stressors, particularly on self-organization, with a focus on the affective and relational domains [ 6 ].…”

“…cPTSD often ensues from unstable and distressing environmental contexts that negatively impact a child’s self-regulation skills, emotional equilibrium, psychological well-being, and interpersonal bonds [ 9 ]. Notably, particular attention has been devoted to the manifestation of self-organization disorders (DSO) observed within this condition, encompassing symptomatology spanning affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disrupted relationships [ 4 ]. Dysregulation, in this scenario, is a state of distress or impairment associated with the inability to tolerate aspects of one’s internal experience, including emotions, thoughts, bodily sensations, and physiological arousal.…”

Neurogenic voiding dysfunction in children: challenges of wartime

“…Не виникає сумнівів, що означені негаразди призводять до виникнення численних проблем із психічним та соматичним здоров'ям. Посттравматичний стресовий розлад (ПСР) лежить в основі погіршення загального стану здоров'я, появи різноманітних скарг, загострення вже наявних в анамнезі дитини хвороб, нашаровування інших патологій із розвитком коморбідних станів [6,7].…”