Understanding Childhood PTSD

Introduction

• Presenter: Patrick Tuohey
• Topic: Childhood PTSD and its effects on adulthood
• Objective: Help clients understand if current issues relate to childhood

Key Topics

Definition of Childhood PTSD

• Childhood PTSD involves trauma experienced during formative years.
• The term PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The ACE Study

• ACE: Adverse Childhood Experience
• Conducted by CDC & Kaiser Permanente in the 1990s
• Categories:
  • Abuse: Physical, emotional, sexual
  • Neglect: Emotional and physical
  • Household Dysfunction: Substance abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, divorce, mental illness
• Relationship between number of ACEs and adult health problems

Critique of ACE Study

• Isolates extreme cases
• Low scores might overlook PTSD

Hypothetical Scenarios

• Blatant Abuse: Multiple ACEs like alcoholism, sexual, and physical abuse
• Tricky Family: Less obvious signs, e.g., emotional shutdown, criticism
• Both groups can have similar issues: intimacy problems, self-esteem issues, etc.

Characteristics of a Tricky Family

• Appears normal but emotionally dysfunctional
• Emotional/developmental needs of children not met

Examples of Tricky Family Traits

• Emotionally shut down parent
• Toxic or poor intimacy between parents
• Rageful, narcissistic, or authoritarian behavior
• Major family secrets or taboos

Broader Definition of Abuse

• Mental Illness: Includes neurosis, anxiety, untreated PTSD
• Physical Abuse: Includes spanking, corporal punishment
• Emotional Abuse: Includes parentalization, surrogate spouse
• Sexual Abuse: Exposure to inappropriate materials
• Domestic Violence: Includes verbal threats, non-physical intimidation

Key Takeaways

1. Childhood PTSD is underdiagnosed and misunderstood.
2. Need for broader definition beyond extreme cases.
3. Importance of identifying specific behaviors and problems.

Questionnaire Overview

• 60 questions, focus on lifetime experiences
• Answer choices: Yes, No, Maybe
• Example questions given
• Scoring: More than 5 'Yes' responses suggest therapy exploration

Conclusion

• Encourages reflection on childhood experiences
• Suggests therapy for those with significant indicators of childhood PTSD

Final Note

• The questionnaire can be a valuable tool for identifying issues to work on in therapy.