Effects of Psychological Trauma on Children and Adolescents

Psychological Trauma and PTSD

Trauma: physical or psychological threat or assault to a child’s physical integrity, sense of self, safety or survival or to the physical safety of another person significant to the child.

Events that entice trauma:
o Abuse
o Exposure to domestic violence
o Severe natural disaster
o War or other military actions
o Abandonment
o Witnessing violence in any setting
o Personal attack by another person or animal
o Kidnapping
o Severe bullying
o Medical procedure, surgery, accident or serious illness

PTSD: traumatic stress that persists after a traumatic incident has ended and continues to affect a child’s capacity to function.

Behaviors/symptoms
• Difficulty sleeping or eating
• Heightened startle response and hyper alertness
• Agitation and over-arousal
• Terrified responses to sights, sounds, or other sensory input
• Preoccupation with or re-enactment of the traumatic experience

Effects of Psychological Trauma

Severe psychological trauma causes impairment of the
neuroendocrine systems in the body.

Extreme stress triggers the fight or flight survival response: activates sympathetic and suppresses the parasympathetic nervous system.

Severe psychological trauma can increase the cortisol levels in the central nervous system: person take action to survive.

Cortisol Levels

• Extreme levels can cause alterations in brain development
• Destruction of brain cells 
• In children, high levels of cortisol can disrupt cell differentiation 
• Cell migration and critical aspects of the CNS intergration and functioning

Psychological Attachment

Traumatized children feel that the world is uncertain and unpredictable

They have problems with...

• Boundaries
• Disrupt 
• Suspiciousness 
• They often become socially isolated and have problem with empathy

Biology

Biology based challenges:

• Problems with movement and sensation 
• Hypersensitivity to physical contact
• Insensitivity to pain
• Coordinations
• Balance

Biology based challenges cont:

• Body tone 
• Unexplained physical symptoms 
• Increased medical problems (asthma, autoimmune disorders)

Mood Regulation

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Famous Example: Sybil

Shirley Ardell Mason (Sybil)

• Teacher in the 1950's
• Went to psychiatrist for blackouts and emotional breakdowns
• Freudian therapy (dreams and unconscious memories)
• Multiple personalities from severe sexual abuse as a young child 
• Psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizophrenia  

Controversy

said that the doctor made her have the personalities so they could publish the book, in reality she was only a hysteric. She denied him of the multiple personalities. Shirley stated that her doctor wanted her to "be" people. In result, Mason ended up believing that she had multiple personalities.

A lovely video of a friend of Shirley's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4S50E4uqTE