The Effects of Trauma on Children and Adolescents

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on May 23, 2012 4:40 pm

And finally I twist my heart round again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside, and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and could be, if there weren’t any other people living in the world. 

                                                                                                       ~ Anne Frank

Traumatic experiences incurred in early childhood can have an egregious effect upon the human condition including: the psychological, physiological, neurological, emotional, social, and academic readiness and preparedness for life. 

One of the greatest challenges posed to professionals is that,  “childhoood trauma does not come in one single package.” (Brown, 2008, p. 5) Therefore, making the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis is the Achilles heel of the therapeutic process. 

“Traumatic experiences can derail the child’s readiness to learn, either temporarily or for the long term, through such mechanisms as hyper-vigilance, constriction of exploration, misattribution of hostile intention of others, preemptive and self-protective aggression, generalized fears, and preoccupation with internal processes so that attention is deployed to the self rather than to the (learning and academic) environment.” (Osofsky, 2004, p. 115)

RESILIENCY

“Children who are resilient often have an appearance of a Teflon® coating: nothing seems to faze these children. Whether they are capable of sloughing off the traumatic event, or they are truly resilient is something that is difficult to measure.” (Brown, 2008, p. 40) Even if we could measure the effects of these associated traumatic events, the difficulty lies in the child’s familial and socioeconomic environments which have an outlying effect upon the child’s perceptions and worldviews, and thus resiliency.  “Is resiliency a collaboration of parental care giving and nurturing as well as the natural tendency to rebound?” (Brown, 2008, p. 40)

“What determines why one child can prove resilient while another child cannot?” (Brown, 2008, p. 40) The factors are many; but simplified, it is the protective factors that act as an insulator safeguarding a child from potential harm. 

“It is commonly-and-erroneously-assumed that children are resilient and that their reactions to disasters are fleeting.” (La Greca et. al., 2002, p. 4)

ATTACHMENTS

A child with a secure attachment to either mother and/or father, has a greater propensity of overcoming a childhood traumatic experience, if the natural bond is securely established.  The attachment itself acts as a adhesive firmly connecting the child and parent together.  Whereas, a child who is lacking a parental attachment, has a higher probability of developing chronic psychological issues. 

THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES

The effects of childhood traumatic stress cannot only alter the psychological conditioning of the human psyche, but can have a profound effect upon the overall physiological state of the human condition. 

The effects of traumatic stress has been shown to cause severe psychological impairment throughout the neuroendocrine system.  Unresolved traumatic stressors can play havoc on the psychology and physiology of the human condition including:  disruption of critical central nervous system integration and functioning during childhood development, deregulation of brain functioning and capacity to harness the necessary basic regulatory processes.

A BRIEF LIST OF SYMPTOMOLOGICAL TRAITS 

Symptoms of traumatic experiences frequently include, but are not limited to the following:

  •   Hyperarousal:  anxiety, an increased startle response, reduction in pain tolerance, insomnia, lethargy, sluggishness, having a remarkable effect upon the physiological and psychological self.
  •  Loss of interest in social environment, academic, work, and other normal routines
  •  “Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma)…” (AMA, 2000, p. 468)
  •  Suicidal ideation
  •  Expressions and feelings of social isolation and alienation
  •  Difficulty concentrating and expressing thoughts and/or feelings
  •  Hypervigilance: an increased sensitivity, abnormally increased arousal, abnormally responsiveness to stimuli, constant screening of personal surroundings and environment, that is not otherwise diagnostically defined.  (van Rens LW, et. al., 2012; Fisher, 2005; Peters, 2005; Allen, 2004; Corsini, 2002; AMA, 2000)

THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYING THERAPEUTIC CARE A.S.A.P.

A child who has incurred a traumatic experience without proper care, has a higher likelihood of developing longterm psychological and physiological challenges in life.  The therapeutic environment is essential for developing, treating, and monitoring a patient’s / client’s care.  Furthermore, it is essential for providing aide to familial and outlying individuals who may have either witnessed and/or vicariously been victimized by the traumatic event.  If you suspect that your child, or a child you know has incurred a traumatic experience, it is essential that you refer that child to a practitioner who can properly offer therapeutic treatment. �
Author:   Dr. Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C.
REFERENCES

Allen, J. G. (Ed) (2004) Coping with trauma, Hope through understanding (2nd ed) Washington, DC:  American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. 

Bremner, J. D., et al. (1999) Neural correlates of memories of childhood sexual abuse in women with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. American Psychiatric Association. 156: 1787-1795 

Brown, A. D. (2008) The effects of childhood trauma on adult perception and worldview. Minneapolis, MN: Proquest LLC 

Cobia, D. C., Sobansky, R. R., & Ingram, M. (2004) Female survivors of childhood sexual abuse: Implications for couples’ therapists. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy Couples and Families. 12 (3) 312-318 

Corsini, R. (2002) The dictionary of psychology. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge 

Duran, B., Malcoe, L. H., Sanders, M., Waitzkin, H., Skipper, B., & Yager, J. (2003) Child maltreatment prevalence and mental disorders outcomes among American Indian women in primary care. Child Abuse & Neglect 28 (2004) 131-145. 

Fisher, G. (2005) Existential psychotherapy with adult survivors of sexual abuse. Journal of  Humanistic Psychology. 45 (1) 10-40 

Le Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Roberts, M. C., Ed., (2002) Helping children cope with disasters and terrorism. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 

Osofsky, J. D., (Ed.) (2004) Young children and trauma, Intervention and treatment. New York,   NY: The Guilford Press. 

Peters, H. (2005) Pretherapy from a developmental perspective. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 45 (1) 62-81 

Sattler, J. M. (2002) Assessment of children, Behavioral and clinical applications (4th ed.) San Diego, CA: Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher, Inc. 

van Ren, L.W., de Weert-van Oene G. H., van Oosteren, A. A., & Rutten, C. (2012) Clinical treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with serious dual diagnosis problems. Tijdschr Psychiatry. 54 (4): 383-388




*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

0 comments on “The Effects of Trauma on Children and Adolescents”

  1. Mary Roberts says:

    I found this article to be very informative and insightful. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Dear Mary Roberts,

      Thank you for your time and feedback.

      I am pleased to know that you found the article to be very informative and insightful.

      Warm Regards,

      Dr. Asa Don Brown

  2. Mary Roberts says:

    Informative article. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Dear Mary Roberts,

      I am sincerely appreciative of your feedback. As an author, it helps to know that I am touching the lives of others.

      Once again, thank you for your time and review.

      Warm Regards,

      Dr. Asa Don Brown

  3. Tracy says:

    Thank you Dr Brown for your inspiring words. It is inspiring to know that by bonding with our children we are able to help create a safe insulation for our children. It is amazing that we are able to help protect our children from any trauma that they may experience. Our world is so full of trauma and extreme experiences that I would like to help insulate my daughters and prepare them for anything. Thank you again for your inspiring words.

    Tracy

    1. Dear Tracy,

      I am appreciative of your time and recent review. I agree that it is important that we try to insulate and offer protective barriers for our children. Furthermore, it is important that “if” a child does face a traumatic experience, that they are capable of proving resilient despite the trauma that they have faced.

      Again, thank you for your time and review.

      Warm Regards,

      Dr. Asa Don Brown

  4. Excellent article regarding the impact of childhood trauma on psychological and physical functioning. Kids are resilient in the sense that they use various coping strategies to manage their feelings about a deeply troubling event. Unfortunately, these scripts, played out by children, are not effective in promoting adaptive behavior in adulthood. In my latest work, Troubled Childhood, Triumphant Life, I explore the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult functioning. My work focuses on the effect of inadequate parenting on adults as they seek to create a sense of connection within their environment.

    1. Dear James P. Krehblel

      I am most certainly appreciative of your time and feedback. I am personally intrigued by your own work, because it is reflective of my doctoral research (The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adult Perception and Worldview) and is also a personal interest. I do have plans to review your research ASAP. Thank you for sharing.

      Thank you for your time and review.

      Warm Regards,

      Dr. Asa Don Brown

  5. I posted this on Pinterest to spread it further. You can see the pin here: http://pinterest.com/pin/147141112795892639/ I worked in the South Bronx directing a mental health crisis team for children. The South Bronx is a high asthma area, but very few people recognized that a severe asthma attack traumatizes parents and child.

    1. Dear Katherine G. Levine,

      Thank you for taking time to review and offer feedback. I am also appreciative of the link.

      Warm Regards,

      Dr. Asa Don Brown

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