Age-related similarities and differences in networks of acute trauma-related stress symptoms in younger and older preschool children

• Published in: European journal of psychotraumatology Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 1948788
• Main Authors: Bartels, Lasse, Sachser, Cedric, Landolt, Markus A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: acute symptomatology; Age groups; Aged; Anger; análisis en red; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Clinical; emotional distress; Fear; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Memory; network analysis; niños preescolares; Parents - psychology; posttraumatic stress symptoms; Preschool children; Psychological Distress; sintomatología aguda; Social Network Analysis; sufrimiento emocional; síntomas de estrés postraumático; Trauma; Wounds and Injuries - psychology; 创伤; 创伤后应激症状; 学龄前儿童; 急性症状; 情绪困扰; 网络分析; niños preescolares; 情绪困扰; sufrimiento emocional; síntomas de estrés postraumático; acute symptomatology; análisis en red; 创伤; emotional distress; sintomatología aguda; Trauma; 学龄前儿童; preschool children; 网络分析; 创伤后应激症状; network analysis; posttraumatic stress symptoms; 急性症状
• ISSN: 2000-8066; 2000-8198; 2000-8066
• DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1948788

Background: Prior research on trauma-exposed preschool children has found various levels of trauma-related stress symptoms depending on age, which might be explained by developmental factors. Objective: This study uses network analysis to extend prior research and compare symptom presentation in younger and older preschoolers in the acute phase (first 4 weeks) following a potentially traumatic event. Method: Parent-reported trauma-related acute stress symptoms were assessed using the Pediatric Emotional Distress Scale - Early Screener via www.kidtrauma.com . First, the overall symptom severity and symptom levels were compared between younger (1-3 years) and older (4-6 years) preschoolers. Further, two Gaussian graphical models of stress symptoms in younger (n = 242; M age  = 2.3 years; SD age  = 0.6 years) and older preschoolers (n = 299; M age  = 4.8 years; SD age  = 0.7 years) were modelled and compared. Results: Overall symptom severity did not differ between the groups. Symptom levels for developmental regression and avoidance of talking about the event were higher in older preschoolers. The network structures of the younger and the older preschoolers were largely similar. Highly central symptoms in both networks were trauma-unrelated fear and anger. The connections between fear of reminders and clinginess and trauma-unrelated fear and clinginess were stronger in the older preschoolers' network. The connections between worry and sadness and withdrawal; fear of reminders and creation of games, stories, and pictures; and whininess and clinginess were all stronger in the younger preschoolers' network. Conclusions: Trauma-related stress symptomatology of younger and older preschoolers may not differ greatly in the acute phase. Trauma-unrelated fear and anger seem to be central symptoms in both groups. However, examining symptom-level associations across age groups revealed differential connections that might arise from developmental differences. If replicated in longitudinal and within-subject studies, these findings could help tailor interventions for trauma-exposed preschoolers in the acute phase. Symptom-specific differences in frequency between younger and older preschoolers emerged for developmental regression (younger < older) and avoidance of talking about the event (younger < older). Highly central symptoms in both age groups were trauma-unrelated fear and anger.