Brief Report: Children's Responses to Trauma- and Nontrauma-related Hospital Admission: a Comparison Study

Objective: This study aims to investigate and compare psychological responses in children and parents 1 month after trauma- and nontrauma-related hospital admission.

Methods: Two hundred and five children aged 7-16 years (and their parents) were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychopathology, and distress 1 month after trauma-related (Trauma Group; n = 101) and nontrauma-related hospital admission (Non-Trauma Group; n = 104).

Results: Clinically elevated PTSD symptom levels were more prevalent in children admitted for trauma-related (18%) than nontrauma-related reasons (4%). Parents also experienced posttraumatic distress, although rates of clinically elevated symptom levels did not differ between the Trauma (11%) and Non-Trauma (8%) groups. Other pathology and distress in children and parents were comparable across groups.

Conclusions: Children experienced greater posttraumatic distress following trauma-related hospital admission, while parents' experience of their child's hospitalization is equally distressing regardless of the reason for admission.