Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Preschool Children

Abstract

This study investigated the existing diagnostic algorithms for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to determine the most developmentally sensitive and valid approach for diagnosing this disorder in preschoolers. Participants were 130 parents of unintentionally burned children (1-6 years). Diagnostic interviews were conducted with parents to assess for PTSD in their child at 1 and 6 months postinjury and the Child Behavior Checklist for 1.5-5 was also completed. The proposed algorithm for PTSD in preschool children for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) provided the most developmentally sensitive and valid measure of PTSD. The rate of PTSD diagnosis was 25% at 1 month and 10% at 6 months. The predictive utility of Criterion A was not demonstrated. These findings provide support for the inclusion of the proposed algorithm for PTSD in preschool children.

Prevalence, comorbidity and course of trauma reactions in young burn‐injured children

“…PTSD, ODD and SAD were the most commonly diagnosed disorders. Based on findings reported previously on this sample (De Young et al., 2011), the preschool PTSD criteria proposed for the DSM–V was used to diagnose PTSD in this study. However, for comparison, PTSD rates using the DSM–IV criteria are also included in Table 2.…”

“…Data for this study were collected as part of a larger longitudinal research project investigating the psychosocial impact of burn injury in preschoolers and their parents. To date, this cohort of children has been described in one other study (De Young, Kenardy, & Cobham, 2011). Participants were parents of children aged 1–6 years who had sustained an unintentional burn injury.…”

Posttraumatic stress disorder in early childhood: classification and diagnostic issues

“…Future research is needed to examine the development and validation of developmentally appropriate assessment measures to clearly establish the prevalence comorbidity, and course of psychological morbidity in young traumatized children and their families (De Young, Kenardy, & Cobham, 2011). In summary, the establishment of empirically validated, developmentally sensitive PTSD diagnostic criteria for toddlers and preschoolers is one of the key tasks remaining for the DSM classification system.…”

The Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in School-Aged Children and Adolescents Following Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Admission

“…Several studies have now explored PTSD diagnosis and symptomatology in young children using developmentally sensitive criteria (De Young et al 2011;Levendosky et al 2002;MeiserStedman et al 2008;Ohmi et al 2002;Scheeringa et al 2006;Scheeringa and Zeanah 2008;Scheeringa et al 1995;Scheeringa et al 2003;Stoddard et al 2006). These studies provide compelling evidence that PTSD-AA shows better diagnostic validity and sensitivity than DSM-IV PTSD criteria in this age group.…”