Brief report: the impact of maternal posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and child gender on risk for persistent posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in child trauma victims.
OBJECTIVE
To longitudinally examine the impact of maternal posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) on child adjustment following a child's traumatic injury, focusing on child gender differences.


METHODS
Forty-one child traumatic injury victims aged 8-18 years and their biological mothers were interviewed over two follow-ups (6 weeks and 7 months). Children were administered the Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale for Children and Adolescents (CAPS-CA), whereas mothers completed the CAPS.


RESULTS
Six weeks post trauma, maternal PTSS were significantly related to PTSS in boys but not in girls. However, at 7 months, maternal PTSS were strongly related to child PTSS in both boys and girls. Significant 6-week maternal distress-child gender interactions suggested that maternal PTSS, especially avoidance, predicted greater 7-month PTSS but that this was primarily because of a significant relationship in females.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal distress was found to negatively impact subsequent child adjustment, particularly in females. These results underscore the importance of considering family-centered interventions for child PTSD, especially in girls.
Ostrowski
Sarah A
SA
Department of Psychology, 118 Kent Hall, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA.
Christopher
Norman C
NC
Delahanty
Douglas L
DL
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*