An exploratory study of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among bereaved children

Purpose: This study reports on the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among a sample (n = 46) of bereaved children. PTSD symptoms in children who have experienced loss due to an expected death through illness have not been previously studied. Method: An exploratory cross-sectional design was used to compare Impact of Event Scale (IES) scores between two groups of bereaved children. One group experienced the sudden, unexpected death of a family member; the second group experienced the expected death of a family member following protracted illness. Findings: Overall, almost two-thirds of the children were found to be experiencing moderate to severe levels of PTSD related symptoms of intrusion and avoidance as measured by the IES. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the IES scores of the two groups of children. Implications: Findings are discussed in relation to current practice with and research on bereaved children.