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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Comorbidity in Children After Unintentional Injuries: Prevalence, Trajectory, and Severity
Location: East Ballroom
Mentor: Dr. Annette La Greca
Unintentional injuries in children can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Although PTSD-depression comorbidity is highly detrimental, it often goes unrecognized and undiagnosed, particularly in the context of unintentional injuries. This study aimed to address the gap in research regarding PTSD-depression comorbidity in children following unintentional injuries by examining its prevalence, trajectory, and severity. The sample consisted of 112 children who sustained injuries and received medical attention (23.21% female; 52.68% Black/African American, 41.07% White, 2.68% Hispanic/Latino; ages 8 – 17 years). Participants were assessed at two time points: T1 (within 1-month post-injury; 3 – 42 days; M = 16.93, SD = 8.89) and T2 (6 months post-injury; 99 – 398 days; M = 197.54, SD = 60.56). At both assessments, participants completed measures to assess symptoms of PTSD (The Child and Adolescent Trauma Survey, CATS) and depression (The short form of the Children’s Depression Inventory, CDI-S). Within 1-month post-injury, 14.29% of participants reported elevated PTSD only, 11.61% elevated depression only, and 8.93% elevated PTSD and depression. At 6 months post-injury, 15.18% of participants reported elevated PTSD only, 9.82% elevated depression only, and 15.18% elevated PTSD and depression. Participants with comorbid PTSD and depression exhibited poorer recovery and more severe symptoms. These findings suggest that early identification of PTSD-depression comorbidity post-injury is critical to facilitating effective recovery. Furthermore, interventions should be tailored to address both PTSD and depression in affected children.
