Abstract
This study examined traumatic events associated with childhood diagnoses of PTSD from the perspective of professionals and investigated the prominent clinical diagnostic tools used by practicing professionals to assess and diagnose children and adolescents with PTSD. A total of 15 licensed mental health professionals who held content specific degrees including MFT or LCSW who were currently treating children and/or adolescents within their scope of practice were interviewed. All professionals studied identified exposure to sexual and physical abuse and domestic violence as associated with the development of PTSD in children and adolescents. Few professionals identified parental drug use and illness of a family member as factors associated with childhood PTSD. Marked differences in the instruments and methods used by professionals to assess and diagnose PTSD in children and adolescents were observed. The DSM-IV-TR was the only instrument consistently reported by professionals (93%). The majority of professionals reported involving the parents in the assessment of PTSD (87%). This study highlights the need for additional research to identify the tools used by professionals to assess and diagnose children with PTSD and for the development of universal clinical assessment and diagnostic tools and treatments for PTSD in children and adolescents. Future studies should focus on new or changing trends of traumatic events for the early identification of PTSD symptomatology and development of interventions unique to the emergent trauma response of children and adolescents.