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Children’s Enduring PTSD Symptoms are Related to Their Family’s Adaptability and Cohesion

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Abstract

This study compared, 18–24 months after an industrial disaster, in two groups of children (those with clinically relevant PTSD symptoms versus those with low PTSD symptoms), the child’s perception of family cohesion and adaptability, the child’s experience of the explosion, and parental characteristics. Enmeshed family cohesion or rigid family adaptability were more frequently found in children with low PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms in the mother, living in a family of 3 or more children, and being female were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms in the children. The assessment of traumatized children should include assessment of family’s adaptability and cohesion.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Clinical Research Hospital Program from the French Ministry of Health (PHRC 2002). Alain Brunet acknowledges a salary award from the Fonds de recherche en Santé du Québec while working on this manuscript. We also thank the Rectorat de l’Académie de Toulouse et l’Institut national de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) for their precious collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire du Stress Traumatique (JE 2511) Services Universitaires de Psychiatrie Hôpital Casselardit-CHU de Toulouse, 170, av. de Casselardit, TSA 40031, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    Philippe Birmes, Jean-Philippe Raynaud, Christophe Arbus, Rémy Klein, Lionel Cailhol, Charlotte Allenou, Franck Hazane & Laurent Schmitt

  2. Inserm U558 Département d’Epidémiologie, Economie de la Santé et Santé Communautaire, 37, allées Jules Guesde, 31073, Toulouse Cedex 7, France

    Laetitia Daubisse & Hélène Grandjean

  3. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 boulevard LaSalle, Montréal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada

    Alain Brunet

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  1. Philippe Birmes
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  2. Jean-Philippe Raynaud
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Correspondence to Philippe Birmes.

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Birmes, P., Raynaud, JP., Daubisse, L. et al. Children’s Enduring PTSD Symptoms are Related to Their Family’s Adaptability and Cohesion. Community Ment Health J 45, 290–299 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-008-9166-3

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