Precipitating and prophylactic factors contributing to posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology in maltreated children

This study examined mediating factors that lead to, or buffer against, development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after child maltreatment. Fifty-five children aged 8--17 years voluntarily completed self-report questionnaires and a structured diagnostic interview. It was hypothesized that (1) chronicity and severity of abuse amplify PTSD risk when a child has limited support networks, ineffective coping, external locus of control, affect dysregulation, and a dysfunctional family; (2) key family and victim characteristics would help to ameliorate effects of traumatic abuse; (3) the combination of precipitating and prophylactic factors would determine the effectiveness of managing traumatic maltreatment. Results suggest that dysthymia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and religion are strong predictors of PTSD in maltreated children. Additionally, as duration of abuse increased, comorbidity increased, particularly for depression, generalized anxiety and phobias. Hypotheses were not supported for coping skills, locus of control, resilience/hardiness, affect regulation, or support networks