Data from the most recent National Survey of Adolescents and other studies indicate that one in four children and adolescents in the United States experiences at least one potentially traumatic event before the age of 162, and more than 13% of 17-year-olds—one in eight—have experienced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives.
Most, if not all, of these young people also have access to a wide range of psychoactive substances that can both dull the effects of stress and place teens at increased risk of experiencing trauma. It is estimated that 29% of adolescents–nearly one in three–have experimented with illegal drugs by the time they complete 8th grade, and 41% have consumed alcohol.4 For many adolescents, such early experimentation eventually progresses to abuse of—or dependence on—illicit drugs or alcohol. Every year, approximately one in five American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 engages in abusive/dependent or problematic use of illicit drugs or alcohol.
Share This Post!
How Trauma Affects Kids in School
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: Child Mind Institute For many kids who suffer from trauma, it’s not one event. Often, it’s ongoing abuse or neglect. This could [...]
Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Measures of Poor Sleep Health in Adulthood
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: ResearchGate Background: Sleep health is a multidimensional concept that plays a critical role in both physical and mental well-being. While there [...]
Childhood trauma changes how the brain processes caregiver cues
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: PsyPost For most young children, the sight and voice of a parent serve as a primary source of comfort and safety. [...]
Child abuse and eating disorder symptoms: Shedding light on the contribution of identification with the aggressor
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: ScienceDirect Childhood abuse has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for eating disorder symptoms. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that childhood abuse [...]
Can the positive buffer the negative? Testing the impact of protective childhood experiences on adjustment in adults following trauma exposure
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: National Library of Medicine It is unclear if protective childhood experiences (PCEs), like emotional support and economic stability, exert influence on [...]
Complex Trauma Effects
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Source: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Children whose families and homes do not provide consistent safety, comfort, and protection may [...]