PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Specific Populations

While there are fundamental principles of good trauma treatment that apply to all patients, an understanding of the experiences and needs of specific populations can improve care.

Children

• Trauma, PTSD, and Attachment in Infants and Young Children
  Discusses epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of trauma-related problems in infants and young children, with a special focus on the role of attachment.
• PTSD for Children 6 Years and Younger
  Describes the DSM-5 subtype of PTSD in preschool children (ages 6 and younger) and reviews symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment considerations.
• PTSD in Children and Adolescents
  Provides an overview of PTSD in children and adolescents, including common causal events, prevalence, risk factors associated with PTSD and other effects of trauma, as well as treatment options.

Older Adults

• PTSD Assessment and Treatment in Older Adults
  Discusses assessment strategies and treatment interventions for older adults based upon patient age and the broader context of aging processes.
• Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms among Older Adults: A Review
  Includes review of research on PTSD in older adults, including trauma exposure, epidemiology, reemergence of symptoms, and Late-Onset Stress Symptomatology (LOSS).

Women

• Research on Women, Trauma and PTSD
  Reviews the research on women's experiences of trauma and PTSD, with a focus on differences between women and men.

Families

• PTSD and the Family
  Provides an overview of the effects of PTSD on family members and includes some general advice for providers.
• How Deployment Stress Affects Children and Families: Research Findings
  Discusses research findings on the effects of a parent's deployment on children and spouses. Includes resources for providers and families.
• Partners of Veterans with PTSD: Research Findings
  Discusses common problems experienced in relationships in which one or both partners have PTSD and reviews treatment options as well resources for caregivers.
• When a Child's Parent Has PTSD
  Explains the common problems experienced by children of Veterans or other adults with PTSD and offers recommendations for how to cope with these difficulties.

Military

• Types of Trauma
  This page offers various pages discussing war and military trauma.

Non-Combatants

• Mental Health Aspects of Prolonged Combat Stress in Civilians
  Describes how civilians respond to prolonged stress with the intent of helping clinicians predict how U.S. civilians may be affected by the war in Afghanistan.
• PTSD in Refugees
  Discusses the traumatic events that refugees face, the difficulties of measuring PTSD in refugees, and the distinct challenges associated with assessing and treating refugees.
• Rape of Civilian Women in a War Zone
  Discusses civilian rape in war zones or refugee camps with a focus on cultural attitudes and stigma in different countries.

People with Severe Mental Illness

• Effects of Disaster on People with Severe Mental Illness
  Discusses the relationship between severe mental illness (SMI) and PTSD following a traumatic event. Includes suggestions for mental health needs of those with SMI following trauma.

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