Early childhood trauma

Early childhood trauma refers to various types of adversity and traumatic events experienced during the early years of a person's life. This is deemed the most critical developmental period in human life by psychologists.[1] A critical period refers to a sensitive time during the early years of childhood in which children may be more vulnerable to be affected by environmental stimulation.[1] These traumatic events can include serious illness, natural disasters, family violence, sudden separation from a family member, being the victim of abuse, or suffering the loss of a loved one.[2] Traumatic experiences in early childhood can result in severe consequences throughout adulthood, for instance developing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety.[2] The effects of this trauma can be experienced very differently depending on factors such as how long the trauma was, how severe and even the age of the child when it occurred. Negative childhood experiences can have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity.[3] However, not all children who are exposed to negative stimuli in early childhood will be affected severely in later life; some children come out unscathed after being faced with traumatic events, which is known as resilience.[4] Many factors can account for the invulnerability displayed by certain children in response to adverse social conditions: gender, vulnerability, social support systems, and innate character traits.[4] Much of the research in this area has referred to the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE) study. The ACE study found several protective factors against developing mental health disorders, including mother-child relations, parental health, and community support. [5] However, having adverse childhood experiences creates long-lasting impacts on psychosocial functioning, such as a heightened awareness of environmental threats, feelings of loneliness, and cognitive deficits.[5] Individuals with ACEs are more prone to developing severe symptoms than individuals in the same diagnostic category. [5]

  1. ^ a b Colombo, J. (1982). The critical period concept: Research, methodology, and theoretical issues. Psychological Bulletin, 91(2), 260.
  2. ^ a b 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.
  3. ^ Kaplow, Julie B.; Saxe, Glenn N.; Putnam, Frank W.; Pynoos, Robert S.; Lieberman, Alicia S. (2006). "The long–term consequences of early childhood trauma: A case study and discussion" (PDF). Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes. 69 (4): 362–375. doi:10.1521/psyc.2006.69.4.362. PMID 17326730. S2CID 40591767 – via Google Scholar.
  4. ^ a b Valent, P. (1998). Resilience in child survivors of the Holocaust: Toward the concept of resilience. Psychoanalytic Review, 85(4), 517-535.
  5. ^ a b c Herzog, Julia I.; Schmahl, Christian (2018-09-04). "Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Consequences on Neurobiological, Psychosocial, and Somatic Conditions Across the Lifespan". Frontiers in Psychiatry. 9: 420. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00420. ISSN 1664-0640. PMC 6131660. PMID 30233435.