Citation

Dovran A, Winje D, Arefjord K, Haugland BSM. J. Child Adolesc. Trauma 2012; 5(1): 16-32.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1080/19361521.2012.644654

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study aims to review empirical research focusing on traumatic events and posttraumatic stress among children and adolescents in out-of-home placement and identify future directions for research. A search in PsychInfo, ISI, and PubMed for the period 1985-2010 and use of citation alerts from 2006 to 2010 yielded 27 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. The included studies applied a diversity of assessment instruments and methods. Only six studies reported when the traumatic event(s) had occurred and/or time of assessment posttrauma. The studies comprised two main categories of traumatic events: war related trauma and sexual/physical abuse. There was a male majority exposed to studies focusing on war-related trauma, and studies on sexual trauma had a female majority. Studies on war-related trauma included foster children from Africa and Asia, whereas studies on abuse trauma included mainly North American samples. The review reflects a scarcity of empirical studies with a trauma perspective in this vulnerable population.

Language: en