Disruptive Behavior Disorders and Trauma in Children: Potential Implicit Biases in Diagnosis?

Childhood trauma is common and children experience a diverse set of reactions to traumatic experiences. Behavioral sequelae from trauma may present similarly to symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, otherwise known as Disruptive Behaviors Disorders (DBDs). This study examined if children with preexisting trauma had differing rates of DBD diagnoses based on sex and race variables. Results indicated that Black or African American female youth had higher rates of DBDs than White female youth and Asian youth had lower rates of DBDs than White youth. Results implicate a vital need for addressing cultural myths and biases as well as cultural understanding in assessment and diagnosis to accurately diagnose traumatized youth.