Welcome to the third installment of our Fall 2013 blog series: Trauma and Kids…A Primer for Pastors, Church Staff and Parents. Today, we’ll look at the statistics pertaining to the  prevalence of trauma in children. 

The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence was a Federally-funded survey of 4,549 children between the ages of 0-17, conducted during 2008. Here are some of the key findings…

• 60.6% of the children and youth in a nationally representative sample had experienced at least one direct or witnessed victimization in the previous year.

• 46.3% had experienced a physical assault in the study year

• 10.2% had experienced a form of child maltreatment

• 6.1% had experienced a sexual victimization

• 25.3% had been a witness to violence or experienced another form of indirect victimization in the year

• 9.8% who had witnessed an intrafamily assault

• 10.2% had experienced a victimization-related injury

• 38.7% had been exposed to two or more direct victimizations, 10.9% had five or more and 2.4% had ten or more direct victimizations during the study year

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The National Institute of Mental Health has produced an excellent booklet on the topic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children and adults. The book includes a discussion of the symptoms of PTSD, reviews the use of psychotherapy and medication for the condition, and provides practical advice on where to find help and how to help others who may be suffering from PTSD. Download the book here.