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

Abstract

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. Methods – 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. Results – 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. Discussion – 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.