Two-Year Follow-up Study on Children Exposed to Trauma

Two-Year Follow-up Study on Children Exposed to Trauma

In our clinic, we plan to conduct research two years after the initial assessments (January-April 2024 and one year ago, January-June 2025) of children and adolescents with trauma exposure who were evaluated as part of their thesis studies. The aim is to re-evaluate these individuals to determine how many continue to receive a PTSD diagnosis, how many receive a diagnosis of K-PTSD, and what factors are associated with these changes. This research aims to contribute to the literature on the long-term effects of trauma exposure.

This study will be conducted under the coordination of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Children and adolescents between the ages of 7-18 who have been exposed to trauma and who applied to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinic of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine and who were evaluated within the scope of the thesis study two year ago (January-April 2024) and one year ago (January-June 2025), will be re-evaluated two year later. It is aimed to reach all 136 children and adolescents and evaluate those who agree to participate in the study.

Sample:

Children-adolescents who were exposed to at least one traumatic event and who were evaluated within the scope of the thesis study two year ago (January-April 2024) and re-evaluated by a doctor a year ago; Children and adolescents aged 7-18, Children and/or parents with adequate literacy and Turkish language skills, Those without psychotic/manic symptoms or a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability in the child or parent during the interview, Volunteers who agree to participate in the study. Researchers will explain the study to volunteer children and their families and present the Informed Consent Form to determine their willingness to participate.

Parents of eligible volunteers will complete the following assessments:

• Sociodemographic Data Form
• Brief Psychological Resilience Scale
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
• Mood Disorders and Schizophrenia Interview Schedule for School-Aged Children (MAS-S)
• International Trauma Scale - Child and Adolescent Version
• Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale - Revised
• UCLA Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index for DSM-5
• Children's General Assessment Scale
• ICD-11-based clinical interview

The start date for the study is March 2026, and data analysis will commence afterward. Data will be analyzed using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows, version 21.0). The study is expected to be completed by October 2026

The coordinating center responsible for the research is the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children-adolescents who were exposed to at least one traumatic event and who were evaluated within the scope of the thesis study two year ago (January-April 2024), and one year ago (January-June 2025), Children and adolescents aged 7-18, Children and/or parents with adequate literacy and Turkish language skills.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The presence of psychotic/manic symptoms in the child or parent during the interview or any condition that makes the interview and assessment impossible (e.g., mental or developmental condition or a different communication language), The child or parent refusing to participate in the study, The presence of autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability at a severity that prevents assessment.