Abstract
The current study examines the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on school-aged children's social skills and occupation of play. This knowledge will facilitate occupational therapists in identifying children with PTSD and subsequently referring these children for further services. Past studies have demonstrated a detrimental effect of PTSD on children's social skills, although the effect on play skills has received little attention. The results of the study illustrate negative effects of PTSD on the social behaviors of children in the sample. It was also found that a diagnosis of PTSD had no significant effect on children's participation in structured games. The limitations and implications of this study, as well as areas for further research, are discussed. © 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.