Exposures to violence and trauma among children and adolescents

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify;"> <span style="font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:12px;">Children and adolescents (youth) may be exposed to various forms of violence and trauma in a number of ways. Research and clinical stud</span><span style="font-size:12px;">ies have revealed that youth may be significantly impacted by isolated, single or repetitive </span><span style="font-size:12px;">exposures to violence and trauma. Further, these</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> exposures may ultimately impact the overall psycho-social-emotional, and mental health, as well as, the mental health care of this population of youth who self-report, who are at-risk and who may or may not be at risk for exposure to violence and trauma in their lives. Thus, consequently, health care providers (HCP’s) who do not view or understand that exposures to vio</span><span style="font-size:12px;">lence and trauma among youth, as well as, exposures to adverse environments or situations may pose as a serious or potential psycho</span><span style="font-size:12px;">social-emotional and mental health care con- sequence for this population of youth may in- advertently impede or delay timely access to appropriate health care for this population. Hence, as a consequence of this delay in timely access to appropriate psycho-social-emotional and mental health care services for this popula</span><span style="font-size:12px;">tion of youth, may significantly compromise their overall psycho-social-emotional and men</span><span style="font-size:12px;">tal health care status. This article reviews the impact of exposures to violence and trauma among youth, with a focus on current empirical findings noted in the literature regarding victimized and traumatized children and adolescents, and the implications of these findings in promoting the healing and restoration for this population of youth for HCP’s. In addition, a brief discussion of an empirical evidence-based psycho-social-emotional intervention/project referred to as The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project^{<span style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;white-space:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;">©}</span></span>^{<span style="font-size:12px;"> </span>}<span style="font-size:12px;">which has been designed for children and adolescents who may or may not be at-risk for exposures to violence and trauma is presented. The importance of early identification, screening, assess</span><span style="font-size:12px;">ment and treatment among victimized and trau</span><span style="font-size:12px;">matized children and adolescents are also addressed.</span></span> </p

Analyzing Children’s Perception of Violence Through Their Writing

“…Research demonstrates that children who are victimized face multiple challenges, including emotional and psychological problems (Kaufman et al 2011;Krug et al 2002;Saunders 2003); lower academic performance (Harris et al 2007); social difficulties (Kaufman et al 2011;Shavers 2013); substance abuse (Kaufman et al 2011;Kilpatrick et al 2000;Shavers 2013); a higher risk of becoming a victimizer or violent offender (Finkelhor et al 2007;McIntyre and Widom 2011); and a higher likelihood of involvement with the criminal justice system (Harris et al 2007;Listenbee et al 2012). Unfortunately, these consequences lead the majority of victimized children to be relegated to institutional systems such as child protection, criminal justice, and treatment centers.…”

Commentary: Emotional Problems and Depression among Children and Adolescents in Today’s Society

“…Importantly, investigators identified that in one study of 12 -17 years old adolescents that close to 1/4th of adolescent alcohol or drug users met DSM-IV criteria for a substance-related disorder and users of marijuana, heroin, cocaine, or sedatives demonstrated an elevated rate of abuse or dependence on these drugs (Wu et al, 2011). Also, need to evaluate for exposures to violence and trauma among children and adolescents with emotional problems and depression (Shavers, 2013;Forman-Hoffman et al, 2013;American Psychological Association (APA), 2008). For findings have shown that 1) exposures to violence and trauma may result in mild-moderate-severe psycho-social-emotional and mental health concerns among children and adolescents and 2) approximately 2/3's of children and adolescents will experience at least one traumatic event which may require child [adolescent] trauma interventions (Shavers, 2013;APA, 2008;Forman-Hoffman et al, 2013).…”

“…Also, need to evaluate for exposures to violence and trauma among children and adolescents with emotional problems and depression (Shavers, 2013;Forman-Hoffman et al, 2013;American Psychological Association (APA), 2008). For findings have shown that 1) exposures to violence and trauma may result in mild-moderate-severe psycho-social-emotional and mental health concerns among children and adolescents and 2) approximately 2/3's of children and adolescents will experience at least one traumatic event which may require child [adolescent] trauma interventions (Shavers, 2013;APA, 2008;Forman-Hoffman et al, 2013).…”

Health Care Professionals and Family Perspectives of Youth’s Trauma: Suggestions for Coaching and Self-Leadership

“…Youths adverse exposures to violence and trauma have been identified as a distressing health care problem globally and for our communities and families at large [6].…”