title: Children's enduring PTSD symptoms are related to their family's adaptability and cohesion.
abstract: This study compared, 18-24 months after an industrial disaster, in two groups of children (those with clinically relevant PTSD symptoms versus those with low PTSD symptoms), the child's perception of family cohesion and adaptability, the child's experience of the explosion, and parental characteristics. Enmeshed family cohesion or rigid family adaptability were more frequently found in children with low PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms in the mother, living in a family of 3 or more children, and being female were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms in the children. The assessment of traumatized children should include assessment of family's adaptability and cohesion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du Stress Traumatique (JE 2511) Services Universitaires de Psychiatrie Hôpital Casselardit-CHU de Toulouse, 170 av. de Casselardit, Toulouse Cedex 9, France. labostresstrauma@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Birmes
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Raynaud
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daubisse
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arbus
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cailhol
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allenou
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hazane
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grandjean
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004190:Disasters; D005107:Explosions; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires