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Research Article: Lithuanian children’s trauma characteristics and correlates: comparison of clinical and non-clinical samples

Date Published: 2026-04-24

Abstract:
Previous studies have shown that children’s exposure to potentially traumatic events and their trauma?related symptoms may not always be consistently identified. This study aims to examine differences in trauma exposure and related psychological outcomes between clinical and non?clinical Lithuanian children. This cross-sectional study included 10–17?year?old children and adolescents recruited from a clinical inpatient setting (Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos) and general?education schools in Vilnius and nearby districts. After parental consent and child assent, participants completed a secure mobile assessment covering exposure to potentially traumatic events (CATS), dissociation (A?DES), mood and feeling (SMFQ), post?traumatic cognitions (CPTCI), PTSD symptoms (CATS; PCL?5 for convergent validation), and perceived social support (CASSS). Data were collected in 2023–2024. Group differences were examined using Welch’s t?tests (with Mann–Whitney U as robustness checks), and associations were assessed using Pearson correlations. In the clinical sample over 40% of children experienced physical violence, while in the non?clinical sample 82.9% children reported exposure to multiple traumatic events. The clinical sample showed significantly higher dissociation, negative mood, and PTSD symptoms compared to the non?clinical sample. However, among children exposed to more than one traumatic event, differences in dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and close?friend support were not significant. Across both samples, exposure to potentially traumatic events was strongly associated with PTSD symptoms, dissociation, and post?traumatic cognitions, and moderately associated with mood symptoms. In the non?clinical sample, parental support showed moderate negative associations with dissociation, mood symptoms, post?traumatic cognitions, and PTSD symptoms. This study identified between?sample differences in exposure to potentially traumatic events and trauma?related psychological outcomes among Lithuanian children in inpatient and community settings, highlighting the need for trauma?informed assessment and attention to social support within child mental health and welfare services.

Introduction:
Previous studies have shown that children’s exposure to potentially traumatic events and their trauma?related symptoms may not always be consistently identified. This study aims to examine differences in trauma exposure and related psychological outcomes between clinical and non?clinical Lithuanian children.

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