An investigation of trauma narrative characteristics and the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms in very young children

创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的认知模型表明，个体记忆非创伤性事件的方式可能是创伤后应激症状（PTSS）发展和维持的关键因素。特别是，混乱的、有更多感官和情感内容的创伤叙述与ptsd的增加有关。迄今为止，尽管人们越来越关注6岁及以下儿童PTSD的识别和治疗，但还没有在幼儿中进行研究。本研究旨在开发一种适合幼儿发展的叙事启发练习，利用儿童主导的游戏和绘画技巧来评估幼儿（3-8岁）的记忆特征，并探讨创伤记忆叙事与创伤后应激障碍发展和维持之间的关系。研究1将在一个社区的幼儿样本中进行叙述启发练习，并根据组织和感觉情感特征探索积极、中性和消极事件的回忆差异。研究2将在创伤暴露儿童样本中使用叙事启发练习来探索创伤叙事特征与创伤后1个月和6个月创伤后应激障碍之间的关系，以及创伤叙事的某些特征是否预测幼儿创伤后应激障碍的发展。该项目旨在增加对当前儿童PTSD认知模型适用性的理解。

Cognitive models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that the way in which an individual remembers atraumatic event may be a key factor underlying the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms(PTSS). In particular, trauma narratives that are disorganised and have more sensory and emotional content areassociated with increased PTSS. To date, this has not been explored in very young children despite increased focus onthe identification and treatment of PTSD in children aged 6 and under. This study aims to develop a developmentallyappropriate narrative elicitation exercise, using child-led play and drawing techniques, to assess memory characteristicsin young children (aged 3-8), and investigate the relationship between trauma memory narratives and the developmentand maintenance of PTSS. Study 1 will develop a narrative elicitation exercise in a community sample of young children,and explore differences in recall of positive, neutral and negative events according to organisation and sensoryemotional features. Study 2 will use the narrative elicitation exercise in a sample of trauma-exposed children to explorethe association between trauma narrative features and PTSS at 1 month and 6 months post-trauma, and whether certaincharacteristics of trauma narratives predict PTSD development in young children. This project aims to increaseunderstanding of the applicability of current cognitive models of PTSD in young children.