Trauma Exposure and Traumatic Stress Common Among Youth in Primary Care

More than 15% of 24,700 children ages 11 to 19 who received well care at a primary care appointment reported experiencing a traumatic event, according to a study, “Pediatric Traumatic Stress in Primary Care,” published in the November 2025 Pediatrics. The study, published online on Oct. 27, tracked screening responses from primary care clinics from July 2022 to June 2024. Females and those who identified as a racial or ethnic minority reported higher levels of traumatic stress and reported more medical and mental health complexity than their peers. Trauma-exposed adolescents also experienced a 4-fold increase in the likelihood they would report thoughts of suicide and self-harm. Depression and anxiety symptoms were also common among those who experienced a traumatic event, but importantly, half of all youth with high traumatic stress symptoms did not have high levels of anxiety or depression symptoms. Authors state that trauma screening in primary care can independently identify youth with traumatic stress and provide useful clinical context for youth who screen positive for anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Pediatricians who use a screening tool may be able to more easily identify the cause of their patients' health concerns and help avoid overprescription of anti-anxiety and depression medications when trauma and traumatic stress are primary concerns.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.