Early childhood behavior trajectories and the likelihood of experiencing a traumatic event and PTSD by young adulthood.
This study modeled children's trajectories of teacher rated aggressive-disruptive behavior problems assessed at six time points between the ages of 6 and 11 and explored the likelihood of being exposed to DSM-IV qualifying traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 837 urban first graders (71% African American) followed-up for 15 years. Childhood trajectories of chronic high or increasing aggressive-disruptive behavior distinguished males more likely to be exposed to an assaultive violence event as compared to males with a constant course of low behavior problems (OR(chronic high) = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.3, 6.1 and OR(increasing) = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.3, 9.1, respectively). Among females, exposure to traumatic events and vulnerability to PTSD did not vary by behavioral trajectory. The findings illustrate that repeated assessments of disruptive classroom behavior during early school years identifies more fully males at increased risk for PTSD-level traumatic events, than a single measure at school entry does.
Storr
Carla L
CL
Dept. of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 655 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. cstor002@son.umaryland.edu
Schaeffer
Cindy M
CM
Petras
Hanno
H
Ialongo
Nicholas S
NS
Breslau
Naomi
N
D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult