Trauma and diverse child populations

Abstract

It has been estimated that as many as two-thirds of American youth experience a potentially life-threatening event before 18 years of age and that half have experienced multiple potentially traumatic events. Race, ethnicity, and culture influence the frequency and nature of these traumas and also the ways in which children react to traumatic events. The authors discuss the varied influences of cultural background on these reactions to trauma, the varying presentations of diverse children experiencing troubling reactions, and the need to provide treatment to children and their families in a fashion that is culturally sensitive and acceptable to diverse families.