This means that the traumatizing experiences are often unknown to clinicians, and the child’s post-traumatic stress symptoms may thus be overlooked. In the present study, 511 children and adolescents aged 10-18 referred to two child and adolescent outpatient clinics were screened for traumatic events at intake. Results show that 47.2% reported being exposed to at least one traumatic event, and 184 of these agreed to be further assessed for symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS). In this sample, 59.8% scored above clinical level, but the traumatizing event was not mentioned in 37.7% of the referrals. These “ndings are in line with previous studies, and underscore the importance of routinely screening for traumatic events and post-traumatic symptoms at intake.
Keywords: screening, trauma, children and adolescents, post-traumatic stress reactions