Original Research J Clin Psychiatry June 2026

Risk Factors for PTSD in a Diverse Cohort of Trauma-Exposed Youth: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in J Clin Psychiatry. Clinical Summary Trauma-exposed youth present at very different times after trauma, with and without clear PTSD, and clinicians need to know who is most likely to have persistent or later PTSD. This study shows that repeated early diagnostic status carries far more prognostic weight than most baseline demographic, trauma, or comorbidity features, making brief reassessment highly clinically useful. FAQ What was the strongest predictor of later PTSD in trauma-exposed youth? 10 questions
Key Takeaways After the early posttrauma period, PTSD rates changed little: prevalence fell from 25.9% at baseline to 13.3% at 6 months, then remained between 9.6% and 13.0% through 24 months, suggesting that persistent symptoms by 6 months may mark a more chronic course. 6 takeaways Clinical Guide How should clinicians use the initial evaluation and 1-month reassessment to estimate later PTSD risk in trauma-exposed youth? 5 steps
Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. (PPP) makes no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry or other PPP materials, and disclaims liability for any use or non-use of that information. Clinicians should not rely solely on these materials and should exercise their own professional judgment when making patient care decisions on an individualized basis.

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