Date of Award

12-2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Program

Psychology

Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Weems, Carl

Second Advisor

Frick, Paul

Third Advisor

Goldstein, Sara

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the phenomenology of psychological trauma in youth. It was hypothesized that events reported as traumatic could be classified into one of seventeen trauma categories, that levels of impairment in traumatized youth would be higher than levels of impairment in non-traumatized youth, and that traumatic events reported would be differentially related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and types of cognitive errors. Information regarding traumas and PTSD symptoms was collected through The Child PTSD Checklist from a sample of youth aged 6 to 17. A coding system was developed for classification of traumatic events. The expression symptom and impairment levels were evaluated through parent and child report. The coding system had Cohen's Kappas ranging from .78-1.00. Findings indicate that traumatized youth demonstrate higher levels of impairment than non-traumatized youth, and that traumatic events are not differentially related to PTSD symptoms or cognitive errors.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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