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Many children in the child welfare system (CWS) have histories of recurrent interpersonal trauma perpetrated by caregivers early in life often referred to as complex trauma. Children in the CWS also experience a diverse range of reactions across multiple areas of functioning that are associated with such exposure. Nevertheless, few CWSs routinely screen for trauma exposure and associated symptoms beyond an initial assessment of the precipitating event. This study examines trauma histories, including complex trauma exposure (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence), posttraumatic stress, and behavioral and emotional problems of 2,251 youth (age O to 21; M = 9.5, SD = 4.3) in foster care who were referred to a National Child Traumatic Stress Network site for treatment. High prevalence rates of complex trauma exposure were observed: 70.4% of the sample reported at least two of the traumas that constitute complex trauma; 11.7% of the sample reported all 5 types. Compared to youth with other types of trauma, those with complex trauma histories had significantly higher rates of internalizing problems, posttraumatic stress, and clinical diagnoses, and differed on some demographic variables. Implications for child welfare practice and future research are discussed.
According to the most recent data available from the National Incidence Study (Sedlak,Mettenburg,Basena,Petta,McPherson, Greene, 6c Li, 2010), 1,256,600 children experienced maltreatment in 2005 to 2006. This total reflects an incidence rate of one child in every 58 in the United States. The child welfare system (CWS) is charged with protecting and caring for youth who have experienced maltreatment. Children taken into protective custody by CWS often enter foster care.
In 2010, 408,425 youth were in foster care in the United States (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Those who enter foster care have usually experienced multiple traumatic events perpetrated by a caregiver, which typically serve as the precipitant for removal from their homes (Oswald, Fegert, 6c Goldbeck, 2010). These traumatic experiences are often multifaceted, chronic, and associated with a diverse range of severe and complicated reactions across develop mentally salient domains of functioning (Cook, Spinazzola, Ford, Lanktree, Blaustein, Cloître, DeRosa, Hubbard, Kagan, Liautaud, Mallah, Olafson, 6c van der Kolk, 2005). These reactions may be further exacerbated by the loss and separation often associated with placement in foster care. The...