When social support is not enough: Trauma and PTSD symptoms in a risk-sample of adolescents

The results revealed that 26.2% of the sample met the criteria for probable PTSD. Our statistical model explained 64% of the variance in PTSD symptoms, but social support was not significant after adjusting for covariates. This study found that social support was not enough to reduce PTSD symptoms in adolescents exposed to trauma and adversity. Programs focused only on improving social support may not be effective in reducing mental health symptoms for adolescents, particularly when there has been severe and/or multiple forms of childhood adversity.