TY - JOUR
T1 - Patterns of Trauma Exposure in Childhood and Adolescence and Their Associations With Behavioral Well-Being
AU - Connell, Christian M.
AU - Pittenger, Samantha L.
AU - Lang, Jason M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This initiative was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, (90CO1055; Co-PIs: J. M. Lang & K. Stevens). Dr. Pittenger’s time was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32 DA 019426; PI: J. K. Tebes).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
PY - 2018/8
Y1 - 2018/8
N2 - The majority of youth living in the United States experience a potentially traumatic event (PTE) by 18 years of age, with many experiencing multiple PTEs. Variation in the nature and range of PTE exposure differentially impacts youth functioning, although this association is poorly understood. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify patterns of PTE exposure from caregiver and youth report in a treatment-seeking sample of children and adolescents (N = 701) and examined how these patterns predict youths’ behavioral health outcomes. We identified four classes based on both caregiver and youth reports of PTE exposure, with the best-fitting model representing a constrained measurement model across reporters; these included high polyvictimization, moderate polyvictimization (general), moderate polyvictimization (interpersonal), and low polyvictimization classes. Prevalence of classes varied across reporters, and agreement in classification based on caregiver and youth report was mixed. Despite these differences, we observed similar patterns of association between caregiver- and youth-reported classes and their respective ratings of posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms, as well as both caregiver and therapist ratings of problem behavior, with Cohen's d effect size estimates of significant differences ranging from d = 0.25 to d = 0.51. The PTE exposure classes did not differ with respect to ratings of child functioning. Findings highlight the importance of gathering information from multiple informants.
AB - The majority of youth living in the United States experience a potentially traumatic event (PTE) by 18 years of age, with many experiencing multiple PTEs. Variation in the nature and range of PTE exposure differentially impacts youth functioning, although this association is poorly understood. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify patterns of PTE exposure from caregiver and youth report in a treatment-seeking sample of children and adolescents (N = 701) and examined how these patterns predict youths’ behavioral health outcomes. We identified four classes based on both caregiver and youth reports of PTE exposure, with the best-fitting model representing a constrained measurement model across reporters; these included high polyvictimization, moderate polyvictimization (general), moderate polyvictimization (interpersonal), and low polyvictimization classes. Prevalence of classes varied across reporters, and agreement in classification based on caregiver and youth report was mixed. Despite these differences, we observed similar patterns of association between caregiver- and youth-reported classes and their respective ratings of posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms, as well as both caregiver and therapist ratings of problem behavior, with Cohen's d effect size estimates of significant differences ranging from d = 0.25 to d = 0.51. The PTE exposure classes did not differ with respect to ratings of child functioning. Findings highlight the importance of gathering information from multiple informants.
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U2 - 10.1002/jts.22315
DO - 10.1002/jts.22315
M3 - Article
C2 - 30058739
AN - SCOPUS:85052073691
SN - 0894-9867
VL - 31
SP - 518
EP - 528
JO - Journal of traumatic stress
JF - Journal of traumatic stress
IS - 4
ER -