Post-traumatic stress disorder in physically abused adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
In an investigation of the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other Axis I psychiatric disorders, and social and behavioral difficulties, 27 physically abused adolescents were compared with 27 nonabused controls who were recruited through random-digit dialing procedures.


METHODS
The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis (PTSD module), Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, and Youth Self-Report were administered to all subjects; mothers were interviewed regarding their adolescent's behavior using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children and Child Behavior Checklist.


RESULTS
The three physically abused adolescents who received a diagnosis of PTSD on the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis reported their PTSD symptoms were in reaction to extrafamilial sexual assaults and not to physical abuse. In contrast, the abused adolescents showed significantly higher prevalence rates of depression, conduct disorder, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, and social deficits.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that physically abused adolescents may be more at risk for behavioral and social difficulties than for PTSD.
Pelcovitz
D
D
Department of Psychiatry, North Shore University Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, NY 11030.
Kaplan
S
S
Goldenberg
B
B
Mandel
F
F
Lehane
J
J
Guarrera
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*