1
|
Cotter G, Morreale K, Valdegas A, Fish M, Beebe R, Grasso D, Stover C, Tseng WL. Associations between trauma exposure and irritability within the family unit: a network approach. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38710637 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric irritability is a pervasive psychiatric symptom, yet its etiology remains elusive. While trauma exposure may contribute to the development of irritability, empirical research is limited. This study examined the prevalence of irritability among trauma-exposed children, identified factors that differentiate trauma-exposed children with and without irritability, and employed a network analysis to uncover associations between irritability and trauma exposure in the family unit. METHODS Sample included 676 children (56.3% male, mean age = 9.67 ± 3.7 years) and their parents referred by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families to Fathers for Change - a psychotherapy intervention designed to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment. Child's trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and irritability were assessed pre-intervention using self- and caregiver-report. Parents self-reported their childhood and adulthood trauma exposures, PTSD symptoms, irritability, psychopathology, and IPV. RESULTS Across caregiver- and child-reports, 16%-17% of children exhibited irritability. Irritable children experienced greater trauma exposure, interpersonal violence, emotional abuse, and PTSD severity. They had caregivers, particularly mothers, with greater trauma histories, IPV, and psychopathology. Network analysis revealed 10 nodes directly correlated to child's irritability including child's PTSD severity, parental IPV (specifically psychological violence), and parental psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS Results provide initial empirical evidence that pediatric irritability is linked to trauma exposure, suggesting trauma histories be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of irritability. Interventions addressing caregiver trauma, IPV, and psychopathology may ameliorate pediatric irritability. Future studies could benefit from adopting network approaches with longitudinal or time series data to elucidate causality and points of intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace Cotter
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristina Morreale
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Meghan Fish
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Rebecca Beebe
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Damion Grasso
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Carla Stover
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Wan-Ling Tseng
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen PY, Jia F, Wu W, Wang MH, Chao TY. Dealing with missing data in multi-informant studies: A comparison of approaches. Behav Res Methods 2024:10.3758/s13428-024-02367-7. [PMID: 38418689 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02367-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Multi-informant studies are popular in social and behavioral science. However, their data analyses are challenging because data from different informants carry both shared and unique information and are often incomplete. Using Monte Carlo Simulation, the current study compares three approaches that can be used to analyze incomplete multi-informant data when there is a distinction between reference and nonreference informants. These approaches include a two-method measurement model for planned missing data (2MM-PMD), treating nonreference informants' reports as auxiliary variables with the full-information maximum likelihood method or multiple imputation, and listwise deletion. The result suggests that 2MM-PMD, when correctly specified and data are missing at random, has the best overall performance among the examined approaches regarding point estimates, type I error rates, and statistical power. In addition, it is also more robust to data that are not missing at random.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yi Chen
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, 106308.
| | - Fan Jia
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Tzi-Yang Chao
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, 106308
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Maayan L, Maayan M. Inflammatory mediation of the relationship between early adversity and major depressive disorder: A systematic review. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 169:364-377. [PMID: 38154266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Early adverse experience is related to psychiatric illness that occurs decades later. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not been fully identified. There is a translational and clinical literature linking early adversity with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and inflammation. We reviewed articles that examine whether inflammation mediates this relationship. METHODS Literature review of PUB MED, CINAHL and APA Psycinfo articles that explicitly examine inflammation as a mediator between early adversity and depression using ((((((((((adversity) OR (trauma)) OR (maltreatment)) OR (child abuse)) AND (inflammation)) OR (inflammatory cytokines)) OR (crp)) OR (il-6)) OR (tnf)) AND (mediates)) AND (depression))))))))) as key words. RESULTS 2842 articles were initially identified. 1338 non-human studies were excluded and 512 more were filtered out as reviews. The remaining 992 titles and, when necessary, abstracts and manuscripts were reviewed and 956 were removed as being of other non-related phenomena. Four additional studies were added by hand searching the references of remaining studies. Out of these 40, 15 explicitly examined inflammation as a mediator of the relationship between early adversity and later depression. Approximately half (8/15) showed evidence that inflammation mediated the relationship between early adversity and depression. Sensitivity analyses showed that studies taking place in clinical populations, in youth and those that used the Adverse Childhood Events Scale to measure adversity, and IL-6 and TNF-α (as opposed to CRP) to measure inflammation were most likely to show mediation. CONCLUSIONS There is evidence to support the model of inflammation mediating the relationship between early adversity and depression. Certain measures in clinical populations appear more likely to support this model. Further study with more standardized, robust methods will help to answer this question more definitively and may elucidate a subtype of depression related to early adversity by alterations in immune function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Maayan
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Michal Maayan
- Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yuan T, Li X, Liu H, Guo LL, Li JL, Xu G, Li X, Sun L, Wang C, Yang L, Zhang D, Hua Y, Lei Y, Zhang L. Community trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder in Chinese children and adolescents. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1151631. [PMID: 37867778 PMCID: PMC10587585 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1151631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An increasing number of studies have shown the association between traumatic events occurring in childhood and adolescence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A gap remains in the literature on the epidemiology and influencing factors of traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder in communities in northern China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD in communities in northern China, to explore the types of stressful traumatic events and the impact of these traumatic events on children and adolescents, and to investigate the effect of sociodemographic factors on PTSD. Methods A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among 6,027 students (7-17 years old) from 6 cities in Liaoning Province, China. The sample consisted of 2,853 males (47.34%) and 3,174 females (52.66%). The Essen Trauma-Inventory for Children and Adolescents (ETI-CA) Scale was used. The ETI-CA has 5 sections, which include type of traumatic events, worst traumatic event, post-traumatic symptoms, onset, duration, burden of PTSD, and present difficulties in different areas of life. PTSD symptoms were assessed with 23 items in Part 3 of the ETI-CA. Results We found that 2,068 (34.3%) of 6,027 participants experienced trauma events and 686 (33.2%) of 2,068 reported PTSD. Among trauma-exposed youth (2,068), the sudden death of close relatives (33.9%), serious accidents (20.9%), and parental divorce (15.5%) were reported as the worst traumatic events. Studies have shown that after exposure to stressful life events, more than 30% of people feel nervous or upset (39.8%), scared (33.4%), helpless (32.6%), and about 10% have headaches (15.5%), rapid heartbeat (13.3%), and dizziness (11.8%). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that students in middle school [OR = 1.29 (1.016, 1.637)], not a student leader [OR = 0.738 (0.618, 0.881)], and their parents in single marital status significantly predicted higher PTSD prevalence the remarried [OR = 0.474 (0.252, 0.893)], married [OR = 0.42 (0.227, 0.778)]. Conclusion The present study suggests the government to train psychological counselors in schools and communities to provide emotional and psychological support, as well as the school leaders and parents to elevate adolescents' psychological suzhi. Particularly, counseling and professional support should be given to those students whose parents are single.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yuan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangdong Li
- Department of Gerontology, Yijishan Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Student Health Center, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Lei-lei Guo
- Department of Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Jin-long Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety for Coal Industry in Hebei Province, School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Guang Xu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Lu Sun
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Congzhi Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Ying Hua
- Rehabilitation Nursing, School of Nursing, Wanna Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Yunxiao Lei
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
El Sabbagh E, Johns AN, Mather CE, Cromer LD. A systematic review of Nightmare prevalence in children. Sleep Med Rev 2023; 71:101834. [PMID: 37651893 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative review was to describe prevalence rates of nightmares and nightmare disorder in school-aged youth according to sample characteristics and methods used to assess nightmares. We searched PsychINFO, PubMed, and CINAHL databases to identify empirical peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published between 2001 and 2021. Sixty-nine studies from 23 countries were included. The prevalence of nightmares was between 1% and 11% in the past week and 25% to 35% in the past month in pediatric developmental samples and between 27% and 57% in the past week and 18%-22% in the past month in psychiatric samples. The prevalence of nightmare disorder was approximately between 3% and 6% in pediatric developmental samples and 10%-12% in psychiatric samples. Nightmare prevalence peaks between ages 10 and 14 then decreases with older age. Generally, prevalence was higher in girls than boys, and one study suggested gender divergence started around age 14. Children's self-reports were higher than parent reports, except in samples with comorbid psychiatric problems where there was more parent-child agreement. Inconsistencies in nightmare definitions and measurement were observed across the literature and indicate a need for standardized measurement of nightmares.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Aviva N Johns
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, United States
| | - Christy E Mather
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, United States
| | - Lisa D Cromer
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
van der Hoeven ML, Assink M, Stams GJJM, Daams JG, Lindauer RJL, Hein IM. Victims of Child Abuse Dropping Out of Trauma-Focused Treatment: A Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2023; 16:269-283. [PMID: 37234839 PMCID: PMC10205941 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A substantial number of children who experienced child maltreatment drop out of evidence-based trauma-focused treatments (TF-CBT). Identifying child, family, and treatment-related factors associated with treatment dropout is important to be able to prevent this from happening and to effectively treat children's trauma-related symptoms. Methods: A quantitative review was performed based on a systematic synthesis of the literature on potential risk factors for dropout of trauma-focused treatment in maltreated children. Results: Eight studies were included, that examined TF-CBT, reporting on 139 effects of potential risk factors for dropout. Each factor was classified into one of ten domains. Small but significant effects were found for the "Demographic and Family" risk domain (r = .121), with factors including being male, child protective services involvement or placement, and minority status, and for the "Youth Alliance" risk domain (r = .207), with factors including low therapist-child support and low youth perception of parental approval. Moderator analyses suggested that family income and parental education may better predict the risk for TF-CBT dropout than other variables in the "Demographic and Family" domain. Conclusions: Our results provide a first overview of risk factors for dropout of trauma-focused treatments (TF-CBT) after child maltreatment, and highlight the role of the therapeutic relationship in this. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00500-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mara L. van der Hoeven
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Assink
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan J. M. Stams
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joost G. Daams
- Medical Library, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ramón J. L. Lindauer
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Levvel, Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Irma M. Hein
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Levvel, Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shahidullah JD, Custer J, Widales-Benitez O, Aksan N, Hatchell C, Newport DJ, Wagner KD, Storch EA, Claassen C, Garrett A, Ugalde IT, Weber W, Nemeroff CB, Rathouz PJ. Establishing a training plan and estimating inter-rater reliability across the multi-site Texas childhood trauma research network. Psychiatry Res 2023; 323:115168. [PMID: 36931015 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Minimal guidance is available in the literature to develop protocols for training non-clinician raters to administer semi-structured psychiatric interviews in large, multi-site studies. Previous work has not produced standardized methods for maintaining rater quality control or estimating interrater reliability (IRR) in such studies. Our objective is to describe the multi-site Texas Childhood Trauma Research Network (TX-CTRN) rater training protocol and activities used to maintain rater calibration and evaluate protocol effectiveness. METHODS Rater training utilized synchronous and asynchronous didactic learning modules, and certification involved critique of videotaped mock scale administration. Certified raters attended monthly review meetings and completed ongoing scoring exercises for quality assurance purposes. Training protocol effectiveness was evaluated using individual measure and pooled estimated IRRs for three key study measures (TESI-C, CAPS-CA-5, MINI-KID [Major Depressive Episodes - MDE & Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD modules]). A random selection of video-recorded administrations of these measures was evaluated by three certified raters to estimate agreement statistics, with jackknife (on the videos) used for confidence interval estimation. Kappa, weighted kappa and intraclass correlations were calculated for study measure ratings. RESULTS IRR agreement across all measures was strong (TESI-C median kappa 0.79, lower 95% CB 0.66; CAPS-CA-5 median weighted kappa 0.71 (0.62), MINI-MDE median kappa 0.71 (0.62), MINI-PTSD median kappa 0.91 (0.9). The combined estimated ICC was ≥0.86 (lower CBs ≥0.69). CONCLUSIONS The protocol developed by TX-CTRN may serve as a model for other multi-site studies that require comprehensive non-clinician rater training, quality assurance guidelines, and a system for assessing and estimating IRR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Shahidullah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
| | - James Custer
- Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Oscar Widales-Benitez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nazan Aksan
- Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Carly Hatchell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - D Jeffrey Newport
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA; Department of Women's Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Dineen Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Eric A Storch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Amy Garrett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Irma T Ugalde
- Department of Emergency Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wade Weber
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Paul J Rathouz
- Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ramos C, Cabral E, Serrão V, Figueira P, Santos PV, Baptista J. Psychometric Properties of the Parent-Report Version of the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2022; 15:627-637. [PMID: 35958709 PMCID: PMC9360296 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-021-00406-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 (RI-5) is a developmentally appropriate and well recognized screening tool for the assessment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents. The children/adolescent self-report version of the RI-5 has been thoroughly studied in very recent years, showing adequate psychometric properties. Despite such results, the utility of the parent/caregiver-report version, which also integrates the RI-5 system, remains to be explored. As such, the present study aimed to test the general psychometric properties of the parent/caregiver-report version of RI-5, based on a sample of 457 children and adolescents, aged between 7 and 17 years, exposed to at least one potentially traumatic experience, and their respective primary caregivers. The RI-5 total score and categories revealed good internal consistency reliability. The total number of traumas reported emerged as a significant predictor of the RI-5 total score. The RI-5 total score proved to be significantly correlated with more internalizing and externalizing problems, but correlation coefficients were below .70, serving as an indicator of discriminant validity. The four-factor structure of the RI-5 was supported through confirmatory factor analysis. In conclusion, the present study provided preliminary evidence supporting the utility of the parent/caregiver-report version of the RI-5 for research purposes and for clinical assessment and treatment, anchored on a multiple informant perspective of child psychopathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Ramos
- Centro de Investigação e de Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eva Cabral
- Centro de Investigação e de Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vítor Serrão
- Centro de Investigação e de Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | - Joana Baptista
- Centro de Investigação e de Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hermosilla S, Forthal S, Van Husen M, Metzler J, Ghimire D, Ager A. The Child PTSD Symptom Scale: Psychometric Properties among Earthquake Survivors. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:1184-1193. [PMID: 33247347 PMCID: PMC8155094 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01097-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Evidence for a single underlying factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children remains elusive. We assessed the underlying factor structure of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale through exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in 570 survivors of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal. The EFA suggests that the three-factor DSM-IV model fit these data best. The CFA suggests that while the DSM-IV model adequately fit these data, the four-factor King model fit them better. There was no evidence of differential item functioning by age or gender, and internal consistency of the scale was high. PTSD (overall or by factor) was not correlated with functional impairment. Inconsistent psychometric results across contexts and methodologies suggest that our current theoretical conceptualizations and empirical models of posttraumatic stress are lacking. Future studies must both document the instrument properties to assure internal validity and cross-study comparisons and, bolstered by increased psychometric data and analyses, rework theoretical models of PTSD with improved cross-cultural validity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Hermosilla
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, 1006E, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA.
| | - Sarah Forthal
- Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Madeline Van Husen
- Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Janna Metzler
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Dirgha Ghimire
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, 1006E, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA
| | - Alastair Ager
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Le Roux IH, Cobham VE. Psychological Interventions for Children Experiencing PTSD After Exposure to a Natural Disaster: A Scoping Review. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2021; 25:249-282. [PMID: 34779953 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-021-00373-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to a natural disaster can have a myriad of significant and adverse psychological consequences. Children have been identified as a particularly vulnerable population being uniquely susceptible to post-disaster psychological morbidity, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without effective intervention, the impact of natural disasters on children's developmental trajectory can be detrimental, however, research is yet to find evidence to definitively establish the comparative efficacy or unequivocal superiority of any specific psychological intervention. A scoping review was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items extension for Scoping Reviews Guidelines (PRISMA-ScR), to evaluate the current research regarding psychological interventions for children (below 18 years of age) experiencing PTSD after exposure to natural disasters, a single incident trauma. Fifteen studies involving 1337 children were included in the review. Overall, psychological interventions, irrespective of type, were associated with statistically significant and sustained reductions in PTSD symptomatology across all symptom clusters. However, whilst evidence supported the general efficacy of psychological interventions in this population, the majority of studies were considered retrospective field research designed in response to the urgent need for clinical service in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Consequently, studies were largely limited by environmental and resource constraints and marked by methodological flaws resulting in diverse and highly heterogeneous data. As such, definitive conclusions regarding the treatment efficacy of specific psychological interventions, and furthermore their ameliorative contributions constituting the necessary mechanisms of change remains largely speculative. As natural disasters can have a catastrophic impact on human lives, establishing levels of evidence for the efficacy of different psychological interventions for children represents a global public health priority.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabella H Le Roux
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Vanessa E Cobham
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- Children's Health Queensland Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CHQ CYMHS), Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|