title: Screening for trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms among mothers receiving child welfare preventive services.
abstract: The role of parental trauma exposure and related mental health symptoms as risk factors for child maltreatment for parents involved with the child welfare (CW) system has received limited attention. In particular, little is known about the extent to which mothers receiving CW services to prevent maltreatment have experienced trauma and suffered trauma-related psychopathology. This study examined screening data collected from 127 mothers receiving CW preventive services. There were high levels of trauma exposure among screened mothers and their young children. Among mothers, 91.6% experienced at least one traumatic event (M = 2.60) and 92.2% reported their children had been exposed to one or more traumas (M = 4.85). Mothers reported high levels of trauma-related symptoms: 54.3% met probable criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression (61.7%). Nearly half (48.8%) met criteria for co-morbid PTSD and depression. The large majority of the clients with trauma-related disorders were not receiving mental health services. Latina women had significantly more severe PTSD symptoms than African American women. Case planners reported that the screening process was useful and feasible. These findings underscore the feasibility and importance of trauma screening among parents receiving CW preventive services.
authors.affiliation: New York University School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Claude M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chemtob
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffing
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tullberg
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People