Globally, hundreds of children and adolescents witness acts of violence and trauma on a daily basis. Notably, children and adolescents exposed to violence and trauma may display mild-to-severe psycho-social- emotional and mental health care problems. Also, exposures to violence and trauma among children and adolescents have resulted into an alarming global health care issue for our society. All health care providers (HCP’s) must continue to actively engage in early identification, screening, assessing, and treating children and adolescents who self-disclose exposures to violence and trauma.
KeywordsChildrenAdolescentsViolenceTraumaHealth Care Providers
Children’s Defense Fund (2012). Protect children, not guns 2012. Washington, DC: Children’s Defense Fund.
Cisler, J. M., Amstadter, A. B., & Nugent, N. R. (2011). Genetic and environmental influences on posttrauma adjustment in children and adolescents: The role of personality constructs. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4, 301-317. doi:10.1080/19361521.2011.609154
Cloitre, M., Stovall-McClough, K. C., Nooner, K., Zorbas, P., Cherry, S., Jackson, C. L. et al. (2010). Treatment for PTSD related to childhood abuse: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 915-924. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.09081247
Cohen, E., & Walthall, B. (2003). Silent realities: Supporting young children and their families who experience violence. Washington, DC: National Child Welfare Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice.
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., & Sprague, C. (2007). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Focal Point, 21, 4-8.
Felitti, V., Anda, R., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D., Spitz, A., Edwards, V. et al. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 245-257. doi:10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8
Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Ormrod, R., Hamby, S., & Kracke, K. (2009). Children’s exposure to violence: A comprehensive national survey. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Fletcher, K. E. (2011). Understanding and assessing traumatic responses of guilt, shame, and anger among children, adolescents, and young adults. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4, 339-360. doi:10.1080/19361521.2011.623146
Fraser, B. (2012). (World Report). Latin America looks to violence prevention for answers. The Lancet, 380 (9850), 1297-1298. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61745-0
Holt, S., Buckley, H., & Whelan, S. (2008). The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: A review of the literature. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32, 797-810. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2008.02.004
Jaycox, L. H., Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., Walker, D. W., Langley, A. K., Gegenheimer, K. L. et al. (2010). Children’s mental health care following hurricane Katrina: A field trial of trauma-focused psychotherapies. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23, 223-231.
Macdonald, C. C., & Richmond, T. R. (2008). The relationship between community violence exposure and mental health symptoms in urban adolescents. Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 15, 833- 849. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2008.01321.x
Klomek, A. B., Sourander, A., & Gould, M. S. (2011). Bullying and suicide: Detection and intervention. Psychiatric Times, 28. URL (last checked 4 December 2012) http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/print/article/10168/1795797?printable=true
Nader, K. (2011). The assessment of associated features important to understanding childhood trauma. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4, 259-273. doi:10.1080/19361521.2011.614923
Penn State (2012). Exposure to violence has long-term stress effects among adolescents. Science Daily. URL (last checked 4 December 2012). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120703162630.htm
Pinheiro, P. S. (2006). World report on violence against children. Geneva: United Nations.
Schwarz, S. W. (2009). Adolescent mental health in the United States: Facts for policymakers. New York: National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University.
Shavers, C. A. (2009). (Commentary). Minimize the impact of violence for youth. The Clinical Advisor: A Forum for Nurse Practitioners, 74.
Shavers, C. A. (2010). (Point of View). Promoting the health of children and adolescents exposed to trauma and violence. Primary Issues?. URL (last checked 9 February 2013). http://www.primaryissues.org/2010/09/
Shavers, C. A., Levendosky, A. A., Dubay, S. M., Basu, A., & Jenei, J. (2005b). Domestic violence research: Methodological issues related to a community-based intervention with a vulnerable population. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 10, 27-38. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9861.2005.tb00002.x
Shavers, C. A., Levendosky, A. A., Dubay, S. M., Basu, A., Malone, J., Thomas, B., & Rostant, O. S. (2005a). Child witnesses of domestic violence: Suffering in silence (unpublished manuscript).
Task Force on Community Preventive Services (2008). Recommendations to reduce psychological harm from traumatic events among children and adolescents. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35, 314-316. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.06.025
Turner, H. A., Finkelhor, D., Shattuck, A., & Hamby, S. (2012). Recent victimization exposure and suicidal ideation in adolescents. Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine (in press), E1-E6. URL (last checked 29 November 2012). http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/
Vernberg, E. M., Nelson, T. D., Fonagy, P., & Twemlow, S. W. (2011). Victimization, aggression, and visits to the school nurse for somatic complaints, illnesses, and physical injuries. Pediatrics, 127, 842-848. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-3415
World Health Organization (2009). Violence prevention: The evidence. Geneva: World Health Organization.