ABSTRACT
Marla is suff ering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the most scientifi cally understudied anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. Although having many similarities to other anxiety disorders, PTSD diff ers in a number of respects. For example, unlike other anxiety disorders, the onset of PTSD always begins with an identifi able traumatic event (Koverola, 1995). However, the factors that determine who then goes on to develop PTSD are yet to be completely elucidated. In fact, in comparison to every other anxiety disorder, there are very few empirical data available for any aspect of PTSD, even though there is a voluminous clinical literature. Furthermore, even within the small empirical literature, few studies have used standardized diagnostic instruments when examining PTSD in children, although a number have used other types of structured procedures to assess PTSD symptoms (Lonigan, Philips, & Richey, 2003) Th us, in this chapter, available data are presented with a caveat that this is an anxiety disorder with a poorly developed scientifi c base.
