Executive Functioning in Children with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been preliminarily associated with specific areas of neuropsychological functioning impairments in children; however, the relationship between PTSD symptoms and executive functioning in children is not yet well-understood. This study examined PTSD symptoms and executive functioning in a low socioeconomic status (SES), urban dwelling, ethnic minority sample of 55 children aged 8 to 16. Participants completed interviews, self-report measures, and a neuropsychological test battery assessing intellectual functioning, executive functioning, and PTSD symptoms. Results indicated that PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with one dimension of executive functioning after controlling for the effects of SES, intelligence, and prenatal alcohol exposure. Findings suggest that impairment in executive functioning may be a correlate of PTSD symptoms in some children. © 2015, Springer International Publishing.