{"title":"Unveiling Hidden Trauma: Age-Specific Acute Stress Responses in Children and Adolescents after the 2023 Turkey Earthquakes.","authors":"Meltem Günaydın, Özge Çelik Büyükceran, Rahime Duygu Temelturk, Ayşegül Şen Demir, Didem Behice Oztop","doi":"10.1007/s40653-026-00838-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-026-00838-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to examine the acute stress responses in children and adolescents following these earthquakes, focusing on developmental differences across age groups. This study included 70 children and adolescents aged 2-18, who experienced the earthquakes and were recruited from a specialized child and adolescent disaster outpatient clinic between February 8 and March 9, 2023. The sample was divided into three age groups: preschool (2-6 years), school-age (6-11 years), and adolescent (11-18 years). The Acute Stress Disorder Short Scale -Child Age 11-17 (NSESSS) was used to assess acute stress symptoms in adolescents. Sociodemographic data and earthquake-related experiences were also collected. Of the 70 participants, 11.4% met the diagnostic criteria for acute stress disorder (ASD). The prevalence of ASD was 5.8% in preschoolers, 9.3% in school-aged children, and 16% in adolescents. The most common symptoms varied by age group, with arousal symptoms being the most frequent across all groups. Sleep problems were prevalent, affecting 70.6% of preschoolers, 57.1% of school-aged children, and 76% of adolescents. The study highlighted the importance of early identification and intervention for psychological distress following natural disasters. The findings underscore the acute mental health impact of earthquakes on children and adolescents, revealing significant symptomatology even in the absence of formal ASD diagnosis. Tailored interventions considering developmental stages are essential for effective support and recovery. Further research with larger samples is needed to deepen understanding and improve post-disaster mental health strategies for young populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"283-294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004803/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Trauma-Informed Attitudes and Practices of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers: A Mixed Methods Exploration.","authors":"Mia Chudzik, Catherine Corr, Abby Hardy","doi":"10.1007/s40653-026-00818-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-026-00818-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Young children with disabilities experience trauma at high rates. Early childhood special education teachers play a critical role in supporting these children through the use of trauma-informed care. This study explored early childhood special education teachers' trauma-informed attitudes and practices. Twelve early childhood special education teachers in one Midwestern state participated in this study. A mixed methods study was conducted, with participants completing a survey to measure trauma-informed attitudes and participating in interviews to explore trauma-informed practices. Participants were aware of the impact of trauma on the children in their class and described various factors that impacted their use of trauma-informed care. Implications for research and practice are discussed related to the provision of trauma-informed care for young children with disabilities.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"95-108"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004800/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Florencia Talmón-Knuser, Lidia Flores-Cantos, Alba Espuig, Francisco González-Sala, Laura Lacomba-Trejo
{"title":"Childhood Adversity and Reactive Attachment Disorder in Adolescents: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Florencia Talmón-Knuser, Lidia Flores-Cantos, Alba Espuig, Francisco González-Sala, Laura Lacomba-Trejo","doi":"10.1007/s40653-026-00830-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-026-00830-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), particularly those related to caregiving, can compromise the attachment bond that children establish with their primary caregivers. This study aimed to understand, through a systematic review, the relationship between ACEs that occurred in early life and the symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) during adolescence. Using the PRISMA methodology, a search was conducted in the Web of Contents databases Science, ProQuest Central, PubMed and Scopus. The search yielded 1,443 results, of which only 8 met the inclusion criteria. The results show that there is a relationship between ACEs and a greater presence of RAD symptoms, as well as other mental health problems in adolescents. Likewise, those adolescents who are under some protective measure and have experienced ACEs, present more symptoms associated with RAD. It can be concluded that ACEs have negative consequences on establishing secure bonds, leading to more significant development of RAD and its maintenance during adolescence. The results can help to propose prevention and intervention strategies in vulnerable groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"45-57"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004762/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"Does the Montessori Approach To Healing Trauma-Affected Children Align with the \"Regulate, Relate, and Reason\" Phase of the NME? A Thematic Analysis.","authors":"Bernadette Phillips","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00790-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-025-00790-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Given the pervasiveness of childhood trauma, there is a move to create models to support trauma-affected children in schools. The <i>Regulate</i>, <i>Relate and Reason</i> (3R's) phase of the Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) is an example. However, historical models such as Montessori, have largely been ignored. The aim of this study was to compare the 3R's of the NME with the Montessori model, (which historically was reputed to be effective in healing trauma-affected children) and examine whether Montessori's model aligns with the neuroscientific principles and practices undergirding the 3R's of the NME. Braun & Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis was used. The three themes identified were: - how Montessori (a) intentionally incorporated activities into the curriculum that provided repetitive neural input to the brainstem thus helping children to regulate; (b) intentionally created a rich relational environment (a non-traditional teacher, mixed age groups and peer teaching); and (c) explained that children are neurobiologically unable, rather than unwilling, to use reason when they are distressed. This paper suggests that the century year old Montessori model aligns closely with the neuroscientific principles undergirding the NME (3Rs), and that evidence of this alignment could be empowering for the thousands of contemporary Montessori educators globally (who are increasingly facing the task of supporting trauma-affected children), because it will provide them with further scientific backing for the uniqueness of the Montessori model and may enhance their professional practice and confidence giving them a 'head-start' in relation to their ability to support trauma-affected children.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"135-145"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucybel Mendez, Saúl A Padilla, Grace A Parker, Ava R Alexander
{"title":"The Role of Physical Victimization and Mental Health on Adolescents' Gang Membership.","authors":"Lucybel Mendez, Saúl A Padilla, Grace A Parker, Ava R Alexander","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00809-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-025-00809-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adolescence is a critical period of heightened susceptibility to gang membership. Given the severe consequences of adolescent gang membership, it has been recognized as a public health concern in need of further investigation. Recent research has adopted a trauma-informed perspective to adolescent gang membership and demonstrated that experiences of childhood trauma exposure are key risk factors propelling youth toward gang participation. The trauma-informed perspective on gang membership has further shown that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the link between trauma exposure and adolescent gang membership. However, a significant limitation of the literature is the scarce information regarding the impact of other mental health difficulties, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders, on the path between distinct abuse experiences, such as physical victimization, and adolescent gang membership. The present study used a subsample (<i>n</i> = 6,599, 61% youth of color) of the 2018 National Survey of Youth in Custody data to examine the connections among self-reported physical victimization, mental health problems (i.e., PTSD, MDD, and anxiety disorders), and gang membership. Results from path analysis indicated that PTSD helped explain the positive links between physical victimization and gang membership, whereas MDD helped reduce these links, and anxiety disorders had no significant effects. These findings suggest that certain mental health difficulties may place youth at risk of gang membership (e.g., PTSD), whereas others, such as MDD, may mitigate this risk. Ultimately, the results underscore the need to continue using a trauma-informed lens in youth gang research.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"159-170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Herry Patel, Isabel R Aks, Daria Shariff, Fiona A Ralston, Emily C Kemp, Willam E Pelham
{"title":"Do different types of potentially traumatic events hold different relationships with substance use in adolescence?","authors":"Herry Patel, Isabel R Aks, Daria Shariff, Fiona A Ralston, Emily C Kemp, Willam E Pelham","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00813-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-025-00813-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Much of prior literature examines potentially traumatic event (PTE) exposure as a cumulative risk, though PTEs may not have an equal impact on substance use (SU). In the current study, we test McLaughlin & Sheridan's (2016) model in a sample of 11,800 community youth (ages 9-15 years old) enrolled in the nationwide, longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study to examine the impact of PTE types on SU. We analyze concurrent associations between PTE types (physical abuse, domestic violence, community violence, emotional neglect, poverty, and institutionalization / deprivation) and substance use (pooling alcohol, cannabis, or nicotine) and prospective associations whereby exposure to different PTE types predicts SU one year later (self-medication hypothesis). For concurrent associations, we find emotional neglect and physical abuse were significantly positively related to SU. In terms of prospective associations, institutionalization / deprivation, emotional neglect, and physical abuse significantly positively predicted SU. A majority of associations between PTE types and SU were accounted for by other PTE types and time-varying covariates (e.g., internalizing/externalizing symptoms). The association between PTEs and SU during adolescence varies across PTE types. PTEs categorized as physical abuse and emotional neglect are more likely to lead to SU. Findings suggest that surveillance for SU is especially warranted in youth experiencing emotional neglect and physical abuse relative to other PTEs. Future research should examine more types of PTEs along a wider age span to replicate findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12928760/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria Balaceanu, Amanda Ramos, Mattison Hillin, Ives Hong, Dannelle Larsen-Rife
{"title":"Ghosts from the Nursery: Attachment, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Maternal Mental Health.","authors":"Maria Balaceanu, Amanda Ramos, Mattison Hillin, Ives Hong, Dannelle Larsen-Rife","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00803-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-025-00803-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Children's attachment is shaped by their mother's mental health and their early life experiences. Motherhood evokes vulnerability, anxiety, anger, and helplessness. Poor maternal mental health may impede mothers from responding to their children's needs.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The study aimed to examine the influence of maternal mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on adult attachment anxiety and avoidance.</p><p><strong>Participants and setting: </strong>Adult participants (<i>n</i> = 317) were recruited through a small university in the southwest United States via social media, class announcements, and word of mouth on campus and in the surrounding community.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants completed online survey questions assessing their perceptions of their mothers' mental health during childhood, ACEs, and adult attachment anxiety and avoidance. Hierarchical regressions were employed to evaluate the effects of ACEs and maternal mental health on predicting attachment anxiety and avoidance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The presence of ACEs showed a significant positive association with attachment anxiety and avoidance. Furthermore, the findings indicated poor maternal mental health during childhood was linked to higher levels of anxiety and avoidance in adulthood, over and above the presence of ACEs alone.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Maternal mental health combined with ACEs is a stronger predictor of insecure adult attachment than ACEs alone. These results underscore the importance of addressing maternal mental health in interventions aimed at promoting secure attachment in children. Early identification and support for mothers experiencing mental health challenges may mitigate the risk of insecure attachment in their children, thereby promoting healthy child development, with benefits that continue into adulthood.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 2","pages":"401-412"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13190894/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148017904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Parental Self-Efficacy and Child Externalizing and Internalizing Problems during Wartime: the Indirect Effects of Parental Submission and Power Struggles.","authors":"Muriel Balkanyi-Nehora, Merav Jedwab","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00806-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-025-00806-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explored the indirect effects of negative parental practices, specifically parental submission and power struggles, in the associations between parental self-efficacy (PSE) and children's internalizing and externalizing problems. Data were collected through an online survey conducted three months after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, from 226 Israeli mothers of children aged 6-18. A parallel indirect effects model was employed to analyze the data. Findings revealed that PSE was significantly associated with children's internalizing problems, but not with externalizing problems. Furthermore, both parental submission and power struggles showed significant indirect effects linking PSE to externalizing problems, whereas only parental submission showed an indirect effect linking PSE to internalizing problems. The practical implications of the results are discussed, emphasizing the importance of PSE as a cognitive framework shaping parenting practices. Wartime Interventions should focus on enhancing PSE and reducing negative practices, particularly parental submission and power struggles, in order to reduce child internalizing and externalizing problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 2","pages":"341-353"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13191008/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148017949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mortality at Old Age: A Longitudinal Study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.","authors":"Iwao Chishima, Chie Koga, Kazushige Ide, Katsunori Kondo","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00732-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40653-025-00732-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with undesirable adulthood health outcomes. However, studies investigating the effect of ACE components and cumulative number of ACEs on mortality in older adults are scarce. To examine the association between ACE components or cumulative number of ACEs and mortality in physically and cognitively independent older adults, separately by sex. We conducted a longitudinal study on 11,734 older adults aged ≥ 65 years who responded to the self-administered mail survey of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study in 2013. We adjusted for 20 confounders, including demographic and psychosocial factors. Modified Poisson regression models were used for calculating the risk ratio (RR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-value for mortality approximately 6 years later, separately by sex. A total of 1,498 (12.8%) participants died during the observation period. Parental mental illness (RR, 1.84; 95% CI: 1.08-3.12; p = 0.024) and physical abuse (RR, 1.60; 95% CI: 1.13-2.26; p = 0.008) in men and parental loss (RR, 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03-1.49; p = 0.021) or cumulative number of ACEs (RR, 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01-1.44; p = 0.035) in women were associated with higher RR for mortality. Men who had experienced physical abuse or parental mental illness and women who had lost their parents or experienced one ACE had a higher RR for mortality than those who had not. Further efforts to accumulate prospective studies and implement interventions are warranted.</p><p><strong>Supplementary information: </strong>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-025-00732-y.</p>","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"259-272"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004767/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Envisioning the Future of the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma.","authors":"Patricia K Kerig","doi":"10.1007/s40653-025-00807-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-025-00807-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44763,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma","volume":"19 1","pages":"1-4"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13004774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}