TY - JOUR
T1 - Demographic, maltreatment, and neurobiological correlates of PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents
AU - De Bellis, Michael D.
AU - Hooper, Stephen R.
AU - Woolley, Donald P.
AU - Shenk, Chad E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by funding from several grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (K24MH071434 and RO1-75 MH61744 and RO1-MH63407 to M.D.D.B.) and one grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01-AA12479 to M.D.D.B.).
PY - 2010/6
Y1 - 2010/6
N2 - ObjectiveTo examine the relationships of demographic, maltreatment, neurostructural and neuropsychological measures with total posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.MethodsParticipants included 216 children with maltreatment histories (N = 49), maltreatment and PTSD (N = 49), or no maltreatment (N = 118). Participants received diagnostic interviews, brain imaging, and neuropsychological evaluations.ResultsWe examined a hierarchical regression model comprised of independent variables including demographics, trauma and maltreatment-related variables, and hippocampal volumes and neuropsychological measures to model PTSD symptoms. Important independent contributors to this model were SES, and General Maltreatment and Sexual Abuse Factors. Although hippocampal volumes were not significant, Visual Memory was a significant contributor to this model.ConclusionsSimilar to adult PTSD, pediatric PTSD symptoms are associated with lower Visual Memory performance. It is an important correlate of PTSD beyond established predictors of PTSD symptoms. These results support models of developmental traumatology and suggest that treatments which enhance visual memory may decrease symptoms of PTSD.
AB - ObjectiveTo examine the relationships of demographic, maltreatment, neurostructural and neuropsychological measures with total posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.MethodsParticipants included 216 children with maltreatment histories (N = 49), maltreatment and PTSD (N = 49), or no maltreatment (N = 118). Participants received diagnostic interviews, brain imaging, and neuropsychological evaluations.ResultsWe examined a hierarchical regression model comprised of independent variables including demographics, trauma and maltreatment-related variables, and hippocampal volumes and neuropsychological measures to model PTSD symptoms. Important independent contributors to this model were SES, and General Maltreatment and Sexual Abuse Factors. Although hippocampal volumes were not significant, Visual Memory was a significant contributor to this model.ConclusionsSimilar to adult PTSD, pediatric PTSD symptoms are associated with lower Visual Memory performance. It is an important correlate of PTSD beyond established predictors of PTSD symptoms. These results support models of developmental traumatology and suggest that treatments which enhance visual memory may decrease symptoms of PTSD.
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U2 - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsp116
DO - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsp116
M3 - Article
C2 - 20008084
AN - SCOPUS:77952980481
SN - 0146-8693
VL - 35
SP - 570
EP - 577
JO - Journal of pediatric psychology
JF - Journal of pediatric psychology
IS - 5
ER -