Trauma Screening Tools for Youth: Current Practices and Future Directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.1085Keywords:
child, adolescent, trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD screenings, adverse childhood experiencesAbstract
Approximately 60.9% of American individuals have been exposed to trauma in childhood, with around 8% of affected youth developing PTSD by age 18. Early identification of trauma symptoms in young people is crucial, as untreated PTSD can disrupt neurodevelopment, impair emotional regulation, increase suicide risk, and lead to occupational and educational disabilities. This study presents a comprehensive review of current PTSD screening approaches for youth. First, an exploration into the various risk factors associated with PTSD is undertaken, pointing to the complex task of diagnosis and treatment. Next, the importance of the early identification of PTSD symptoms for timely intervention is investigated, highlighting the efficacy of various treatments in improving outcomes for affected youth. Furthermore, the study analyzes existing PTSD screening tools for youth, including the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS-5), the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 Child/Adolescent Version (CAPS-CA-5), and the Child Trauma Screen (CTS), showing their strengths, applications, and limitations. Lastly, highlighting the need for innovative screening tools, digital PTSD screenings are proposed as a potential option for increasing the accessibility and efficiency of PTSD screening tools for adolescents.
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