Why Do Some Children Develop Mental Illness After Trauma?

Not all children who go through a traumatic event will face long-term emotional challenges. In fact, most kids bounce back well with time and support. So, what differentiates a child who develops PTSD or anxiety following trauma from another child who experiences the same trauma but remains healthy?

A new study has found that a child’s cognitive response — how they remember a traumatic event and view themselves afterward — is one of the strongest indicators of whether they might develop mental health issues like PTSD, depression, or anxiety.

"Aspects of how severe the trauma was, or a child's age or sex were much less important," shared co-author Katie Lofthouse.

So what differentiates the child who develops PTSD or anxiety/depression from the child who doesn’t after experiencing the same trauma is basically how each child remembers the event and perceives themselves. It has less to do with the event itself and more about what goes on in the kid’s mind.

For example, how a child felt about a car accident they were in could predict mental health issues more accurately than the actual details of the crash. This insight could be crucial for parents who might feel that an event was minor but don’t realize its lasting impact on their child.

Moreover, the study supports treatments like trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps children process and reframe negative thoughts around trauma. Addressing these thoughts early could be key to preventing or reducing long-term mental health issues.

The researchers also saw evidence that memory plays a significant role in PTSD symptoms. Children who had trouble remembering the traumatic event accurately were more likely to show signs of PTSD. With this knowledge, new approaches in therapy can work towards focusing on improving memory coherence and understanding of the event.

Wrapping Up

If you’re a parent or guardian, these findings are quite profound. If your child has experienced any traumatic event, no matter how severe it may seem to you, they may need help to navigate the trauma’s impact. How your child interprets the event holds more weight than how you perceive it. So, focus on fostering supportive environments where kids feel safe to express and process their feelings.

If your child is already suffering the mental health impacts of trauma, or you’re the victim, we can help you.

Talk to us at Hope Mental Health today.

Author

Satu H. Woodland, PMHCNS-BC, APRN Satu Woodland is owner and clinician of Hope Mental Health, an integrative mental health practice located at Bown Crossing in Boise, Idaho. She sees children, adolescents, and adults.  Ms. Woodland with her background in nursing, prefers a holistic and integrative approach to mental health care that addresses the mind and body together. While Ms. Woodland provides medication management services in all her patients, she believes in long-lasting solutions that include a number of psychotherapies, namely cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention therapy, attention to lifestyle, evidenced based alternative psychiatric care and spirituality. If you’d like to gain control over your mental health issues, call Hope Mental Health at 208-918-0958, or use the online scheduling tool to set up an initial consultation.