Assignment 2: Methodology - PTSD

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Running head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 5

Evaluating Quantitative Design

Sherry L. Crowe

Dr. Cynthia Palmisano

Research and Evaluation

FP6030

September 20, 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Betancourt, T. S., Borisova, I., Williams, T. P., Meyers‐Ohki, S. E., Rubin‐Smith, J. E., Annan, J., & Kohrt, B. A. (2013). Research Review: Psychosocial adjustment and mental health in former child soldiers–a systematic review of the literature and recommendations for future research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(1), 17-36.

This article in its vastness tries to research quantitatively on the psychosocial change and cognitive health in young children who are below the age of 18 exposed to armed forces and armed groups. These children are normally spoken of as child soldiers. The research method used is the quantitative method where a total of 21 quantitative articles gathered from 10 different countries which were categorized according to publication month and year, author, selected population to be studied, purposes, design, background, tools, dominance approximations, and war experiences connotations. Literatures on the mental health of former child soldiers from different countries were reviewed coupled with other data collection methods such observation and sampling which was a bit challenging since child soldiers are usually secluded. Through these methods the results were compared and contrasted. Furthermore, various data analysis tools used include the meta-analysis methods and tools such as descriptive analysis, paired test analysis, regression analysis and multi-level models such as Chi-square, mixed-effects models and Mann Whitney U model. Although there were some limitations such as indeterminate sampling tactics and lack of certified mental health procedures, the studies showed that child soldiers were faced with a number of risks associated with post-conflict psychosocial modification and social convalescence. The children also exhibited increased suppressing and expressing mental health problems due to stigma, abduction and war experiences. This article will help in designing the psychosocial adjustment methods for the children with PTSD.

Copeland, W. E., Keeler, G., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2007). Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in childhood. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64 (5), 577-584.

In this article, William and co-authors conduct a research to study and survey the progressive epidemiology of possible trauma and posttraumatic stress (PTS) in a child of a vast community using random samples. The articles seek to underpin the factors that contribute and lead to development of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in children. In the research, the authors explore the various and common traumatic events that are linked to psychiatric damage in juveniles. Since there is inadequate information regarding the jeopardy posed by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a wide range of trauma experiences in children. In their quantitative research, the authors monitored and assessed the traumatic events and posttraumatic stress reports for both parent and child as well as the risk factors and associated disorders for at least 16 years so as to get comprehensive information to support their research evidence. The data collection strategies used included surveys, recording from the annual posttraumatic stress reports of the children, and observation. For analysis of the data, statistical programs such as the SAS software were used to compute odds ratios, group comparisons, and prevalence estimates. Additionally, logistic regression models were used and Bayesian information criteria used to evaluate complex models. It was found that sample of children exposed to traumatic events exhibited psychological challenges as well as symptoms of PTS, such as an agonizing memory and subclinical PTSD in early adulthood.

Eaton, L. G., Doherty, K. L., & Widrick, R. M. (2007). A review of research and methods used to establish art therapy as an effective treatment method for traumatized children. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 34(3), 256-262.

In this article, Leslie, Kimberly, Doherty and Rebekah explain that art therapy through the use of inventive countenance can offer a safe opening for traumatized children to articulate their judgments and sentiments in order to effectively enable recovery from psychological anguish. This research study evaluates the effectiveness of art therapy as a technique for handling and treating distressed children. In conducting the research, published, peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative literature focusing entirely on the application of art therapy in the treatment of children who were exposed to distressing episodes such as war, violence were used in the reviews. Throughout the research study, the art therapy was found be successfully applied in a range of situations as a treatment procedure for distressed children. Data for the study was collected form the reviewed qualitative and quantitative studies which exhibited a wide range of structure and formality with regards to art therapy. Due to the mixed methods employed in these study, both statistical analysis methods and meta-analysis methods were used in the analysis of the data. Meta-analysis of experimental mental interventions in children indicate that the art therapy treatment method stands for only about 15% of the adjustment in mental development in traumatic children. It was found that the application of art therapy worldwide in a range of contexts is a useful treatment regimen for children with negative psychosocial outcomes related with exposure to traumatic events. Nevertheless, the available literature is not very clear on the detailed nature of the psychosocial indicators or on the diagnostic status of the children participating in the therapy.

Galovski, T., & Lyons, J. A. (2004). Psychological sequelae of combat violence: A review of the impact of PTSD on the veteran's family and possible interventions. Aggression and violent behavior, 9(5), 477-501.

Galovski and Lyons investigate the effect of PTSD on war veterans’ families and the potential interventions. It follows that the exposure to war and violence may cause psychological problems to the veterans which may trickle down to the family level forcing subsequent psychological adjustments by the spouses and children causing secondary PTSD. Veterans PTSD symptoms such as arousal and anger may cause distress in the family and is recognized as the arbitrating consequence of the veteran’s violent experiences to the family. Qualitative research has been used to explore the effects of veteran’s PTSD on their families i.e. spouses and children. The effects of anger and violence has been researched in veterans with PTSD reporting that an estimated 50% of veteran’s spouses have been treated injuries received from battering. However, veterans with PTSD commit few acts of extreme violence unlike the continuing series of the general domestic violence cases. The data collection strategy used in the research was gathering information through extensive research, records from reliable sources such as health facilities, and empirical studies focused on children. The data analysis tools used in the study included cluster analysis and hierarchical regression analysis which showed the statistical relationships between veteran’s exposure to violence and their children’s behavioral changes. The findings indicate that veterans with PTSD largely contribute to their spouses and children’s secondary PTSD and poor psychological wellbeing.

Tol, W. A., Song, S., & Jordans, M. J. (2013). Annual research review: Resilience and mental health in children and adolescents living in areas of armed conflict–a systematic review of findings in low‐and middle‐income countries. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(4), 445-460.

In their article, Wietse, Susan and Mark were interested and attentive on psychological health of children who were largely exposed to conflict or violence and the way they coped with the experiences. It is believed that gaining understanding on flexibility may possibly be of subtle assistance in coming up with mediations directed at enhancing affirmative action and results while cutting down negative results which are referred to as defensive mediations. In their research, the authors employed both the qualitative and quantitative research methods by reviewing studies focused on resilience and psychological wellbeing of children and youths who were exposed to violence, war or any form of armed conflict in developing countries. The data collection strategy used included intensive research of psychological sites such as PubMed, Medline, ERIC, PILOTS, Anthrosource, JSTOR; and PsycInfo. Other data collection methods employed included sampling. The data analysis method was meta-analysis. For the qualitative data analysis, biological levels of analysis were used such as biomarkers, for instance, the levels of adversity that would gradually affect the diverse biological systems of a child. The finding of the research conclude that resilience-centered mediations will need to be highly personalized to explicit frameworks, instead of the use of a common model that may be anticipated to have comparable outcomes on psychological health through various frameworks.

van Wesel, F., Boeije, H., Alisic, E., & Drost, S. (2011, October 24). I'll Be Working My Way back: A Qualitative Synthesis on the Trauma Experience of Children. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0025766

In this article, Wessel and co-authors try to find out through a qualitative research how PTSD is developed in traumatized children. In the research, the authors explore and integrate the perceptions of the children during the traumatic experiences they encounter such as horrific accidents, violence or abuse of any kind. An in-depth research on numerous peer reviewed PTSD in children articles was carried out and then a thematic synthesis was carried out on the findings. The findings which seemed to strengthen the emerging theory were spread through three domains including individual, family and community. The data collection strategies used included one-to-one interviews with children with PTSD, focus groups where members of the group would share their experiences, observation where the author would record behavior of PTSD children as observed, through narrative writing, journal writing or story writing. To analyze the collected data several qualitative analysis methods were used such as interpretative phenomenological analysis, thematic analysis grounded theory, and continuous comparative methods. Graphical representations were used to show the hierarchical models developed based on the initial findings of the studies as well as describing the individual, familial and community domains for which the concepts are utilities. The findings of the research were summarized on the basis of the three domains. On the individual domain, the children’s feelings, traumatic effects which included mood swings, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite among others were observed in children. At family domain, distant relations, loneliness and vulnerability was observed between parents and children while at community domain, there was lack of cohesion and openness and support from the immediate cultures.

References

Copeland, W. E., Keeler, G., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2007). Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in childhood. Archives of General Psychiatry , 64 (5), 577-584.