Symptomatology and adaptive functioning for children exposed to normative stressors, dog attack, and parental violence.

OBJECTIVE: To examine and identify predictors of posttraumatic symptomatology and adaptive functioning of children exposed to single and repetitive adverse events that varied in severity. METHOD: A sample of 86 patients and their children, aged 4 to 9 years, were interviewed after three types of adverse experiences; repetitive exposure to parental violence, a dog attack, or a milder stressor. The PTSD Reaction Index, Child Dissociative Checklist, and Child Behavior Checklist were used. RESULTS: Trauma symptoms were greater for the first two groups, younger children, and girls. Gender effects were most evident in the dog attack group and depended on type of symptoms and informant. Supportiveness in the parenting relationship aided prediction of both trauma symptoms and adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Children appear to experience elevated posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology after both single and repetitive adverse events that are potentially life-threatening. A positive parental relationship is associated with fewer symptoms and better adaptive functioning. The mechanisms through which this support interacts with behavioral and physiological systems to facilitate better regulation await further research.

The organizing effects of early relationships.

The Developmental Psychobiology Research Group (DPRG), based at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, brings together researchers from a variety of disciplines and institutions with the goals of sharing information and stimulating further investigations into all aspects of development. Every other year a retreat is held over the course of several days, with a focus on a particular theme that is addressed by guest speakers and members alike. The following collection of papers comprises the presentations of two of the speakers at the 1990 DPRG retreat and three other papers, relevant to the theme, that were presented at the retreat.