Trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorders among children after the Wenchuan earthquake: a four-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: Previous research has demonstrated heterogeneous patterns of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children following disasters. However, no clear consensus has been reached regarding the postdisaster trajectories of PTSD among children. Objective: The current study examined the trajectories of PTSD among children after exposure to the Wenchuan earthquake and explored potential predictors of distinct PTSD trajectories. Methods: A four-year longitudinal study was conducted to follow 301 children who were evaluated for PTSD symptoms following the Wenchuan earthquake. Trauma exposure and some pre-existing characteristics were measured at four months after the disaster, and PTSD symptoms were measured at 4, 16, 29, 40 and 52 months after the disaster. The trajectories were identified with Latent Growth Mixture Modelling, and the predictors were explored with multinomial logistic regression. Results: The following three latent PTSD trajectories were found among children: resilient (74.9%), relapsing (17.7%) and recovery (7.5%). Trauma exposure was more likely to be related to a more severe trajectory of PTSD, having experienced prequake trauma was more likely to be related to the recovery trajectory and school 2 was more likely to be related to the relapsing trajectory. Conclusion: These findings provide novel insights into children's postdisaster response patterns. Individual heterogeneity existed in posttraumatic reactions. This longer-term longitudinal study captured more detailed and accurate information about the development of these trajectories. Trauma exposure and previous traumatic experience were linked to malignant development of PTSD.

Rumination mediates the relationships of fear and guilt to posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth among adolescents after the Ya’an earthquake

“…Future studies should use more evaluation methods such as assessing individuals' PTG through changes in prosocial behaviour before and after trauma. Second, this study was conducted 3.5 and 4.5 years after the Ya'an earthquake; as time since the earthquake increases, PTSD and PTG levels will decrease, and the influencing factors of PTSD and PTG may be different in different time periods (Liang, Cheng, Zhou, & Liu, 2019). Future research should verify whether the results of the current study hold true at different times after the earthquake.…”

Associations between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Creative Thinking, and Trait Resilience among Chinese Adolescents Exposed to the Lushan Earthquake

“…The differences in trauma exposures were not strictly controlled in this study. Meanwhile, individuals’ prequake mental health states would also have an influence on PTSS (Liang et al, 2019b), but we have no data prior to the earthquake. These factors should be considered in future studies.…”

“…PTSS reflect the impact of earthquakes on individuals, which requires measurement in early stages after the disaster (Liang, Cheng, Ruzek & Liu, 2019). Meanwhile, the ethical regulation for postdisaster psychological assistance stipulated by the Chinese Psychological Association requires that a collective questionnaire assessment be administered when the victims live in a fixed location (Liang, Cheng, Zhou, & Liu, 2019). Therefore, this study started 1.5 months after the Lushan earthquake, when the children had moved into a boarding facility, to first assess PTSS.…”

A mixed-methods investigation of parent-child posttrauma discussion and the effects of encouraging engagement

“…Following acute trauma exposure, children are at risk of a range of poor outcomes including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Large studies on the course of child PTSD show that while most young people are resilient to potentially traumatic experiences, showing either low symptoms overall or initial symptoms that quickly decline, a significant minority will show persistent or worsening PTSD symptoms (PTSS) (Le Brocque, Hendrikz, & Kenardy, 2009;Liang, Cheng, Zhou, & Liu, 2019). An estimated 10-20% of trauma exposed children develop chronic PTSD (Alisic et al, 2014;Hiller et al, 2016;Le Brocque et al, 2009), and an even higher proportion of children will experience elevated sub-clinical PTSS, which can be associated with functional impairment and distress at a comparable level to those who meet full diagnostic criteria (Carrion, Weems, Ray, & Reiss, 2002).…”