Abstract

CASTRO SAEZ, Maravillas et al. Post-traumatic stress disorder in abused Spanish children. Cienc. Psicol. [online]. 2019, vol.13, n.2, pp.378-389.  Epub Dec 01, 2019. ISSN 1688-4094.  https://doi.org/10.22235/cp.v13i2.1894.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) according to DSM-IV-TR criteria in Spanish children exposed to chronic abuse, and to establish the differences in PTSD between children in care and those exposed to intimate partner violence. Method: A total of 211 children (8-17 years old) (Abuse Group; EG=102, Control Group; CG=109). Results: The prevalence of PTSD was 1.8% in the control group and 16.7% in abuse children. The PTSD prevalence is significantly higher in EG than in CG. Among boys there was no significant difference between EG and CG, and in girls was significantly higher in EG than CG. Conclusion: Children exposed to intimate partner violence have the same prevalence of PTSD as direct victims of abuse and it is far higher than that found in the general population. A greater coordination among judicial, social and health services is necessary with the aim of protecting children

Keywords : child abuse; intimate partner violence exposure; children in care; PTSD; DSM.

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