| Children | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | All Ages | Preschool | School | Teen | Adults |
| DSM-IV criteria and symptoms | |||||
| B. Reexperiencing (1 required) | 89% | 92% | 44% | ||
| B1. Intrusive memories | 34% | 46% | 64% | 45% | |
| B1. Posttraumatic play | 23% | 39% | 14% | ||
| B1. Daydream about event | 48%* | 26% | |||
| B1. Talkative about event | 31% | 31% | |||
| B2. Bad dreams | 31% | 69%** | 23% | 30%* | 36% |
| B3. Reliving the event | 39% | 40% | 40%* | 29% | |
| B3. Reenactment of the event | 40%** | 54%* | |||
| B4. Reminders are distressing | 51% | 89%* | 42% | 50%* | 26% |
| B. Trauma-specific fears | 31% | 31% | 35% | 18% | 45% |
| B5. Somatic complaints | 23% | 15% | 37% | 16%* | 45% |
| C. Avoidance/numbness (3 required) | 46% | 30%** | <31%> | ||
| C. Numbness | 47% | 65%* | 44% | 62%* | 23% |
| C1. Tries to forget about the event | 24% | 25% | 46%* | 46% | |
| C2. Avoids reminders | 32% | 81%* | 36% | 32%* | 33% |
| C3. Unable to recall parts of event | 12% | 0%* | 36%* | 27% | |
| C4. Loss of interest in activities | 36% | 42% | 32%* | 28% | |
| C5./C6. Detached or withdrawn | 25% | 30% | 33% | 24%** | 34% |
| C7. Pessimistic about the future | 16% | 35% | 8%* | 61% | |
| D. Overarousal (2 required) | 66% | 55%** | 43% | ||
| D1. Difficulty sleeping | 29% | 27%* | 32% | 28%** | 52% |
| D2. Irritability | 23% | 28% | 14% | 16% | 29% |
| D3. Difficulty concentrating | 41% | 19%* | 57% | 20%** | 41% |
| D4. Hypervigilant | 25% | 24%* | 34% | 44%* | 27% |
| D5. Exaggerated startle response | 28% | 37% | 32%* | 38% | |
| Diagnosis of PTSD | 36% | 39%** | 33% | 27% | 24% |
| Associated symptoms or diagnoses | |||||
| Generalized anxiety | 39% | 57% | 52% | 14%* | 38% |
| Separation anxiety | 23% | 36% | 16% | 4% | |
| Panic | 8% | 19%** | 0%* | 18% | |
| Depression | 25% | 34%** | 22% | 22%* | 14% |
| Guilt | 43% | 33% | 15% | ||
| Regressive behavior | 13% | 17% | 11% | 4% | |
| Aggressive or antisocial behavior | 18% | 30% | 12% | 4% | 35% |
| Low self-esteem | 34% | 53%* | |||
| Dissociative response | 48%** | 49%* | 48%* | 16% | |
| Self-destructive behavior | 9% | 1%** | 15% | ||
| Eating problems | 7% | 14% | |||
| Omen formation | 26% | 30%** | |||
| Warped time perspective | 4% | 4% | |||
| Sleepwalking | 1% | 1% | |||
| Adjustment disorder | 20% | 14%** | |||
| ADHD | 13% | 34%** | <> | ||
Source: Fletcher, K.E. (1996). Childhood posttraumatic stress disorder. In E.J. Mash & R.A. Barkley (Eds.), Child psychopathology (pp. 242-276). NY: The Guilford Press. The child data is from the empirical literature up to the first quarter of 1993. See this source for more information about samples included in this meta-analysis, as well as for a discussion of the possible reasons for differences between child and adult prevalence rates.
Note.Percentages based on a total of 100 or
more subjects unless otherwise noted.
Preschool = < 7; school = 6-12; teen = 12+.
*n = 11-49; **n = 50-99.
Note that prevalence rates in the above table do not take the type of traumatic stressor into account. To see a table that does, for children, see Table 2.
Return to CHILD SURVIVOR.