Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume 41, Issue 9, 2002, Pages 1104-1110

Violence Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Depressive Symptoms among Recent Immigrant Schoolchildren (Article)

Jaycox L.H.* , Stein B.D. , Kataoka S.H. , Wong M. , Fink A. , Escudero P. , Zaragoza C.
  • a RAND, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050, United States
  • b RAND, Santa Monica, CA, United States, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • c UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • d Mental Health Services Unit, Los Angeles Unified School District, United States
  • e UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • f Mental Health Services Unit, Los Angeles Unified School District, United States
  • g Mental Health Services Unit, Los Angeles Unified School District, United States

Abstract

Objective: Many recent immigrant children are at risk for violence exposure and related psychological distress resulting from experiences before, during, and after immigration. This study examines the rates of violence exposure and associated symptoms among recent immigrant children in Los Angeles. Method: 1,004 recent immigrant schoolchildren (aged 8-15 years) were surveyed about their prior exposure to violence and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Participants included children whose native language was Spanish, Korean, Russian, or Western Armenian. Results: Participants reported high levels of violence exposure, both personal victimization and witnessing violence, in the previous year and in their lifetimes. Thirty-two percent of children reported PTSD symptoms in the clinical range, and 16% reported depressive symptoms in the clinical range. Although boys and older children were more likely to have experienced violence, girls reported more PTSD and depressive symptoms. Linear multiple regressions revealed that PTSD symptoms were predicted by both recent and lifetime violence exposure (p values < .001 and p < .05, respectively), when depressive symptoms and gender were controlled. On the other hand, depressive symptoms were predicted by recent victimization only (p < .001) when PTSD and gender were controlled. Conclusion: These findings document the need for interventions addressing the psychological sequelae of violence exposure in immigrant children.

Author Keywords

Violence exposure Depression Immigrant children posttraumatic stress disorder trauma

Index Keywords

depression immigrant psychological aspect health survey Europe multiple regression correlation analysis human immigration sex difference risk assessment life event violence controlled study priority journal language ethnology United States school child Humans Adolescent male environmental factor female prediction risk factor Multivariate Analysis socioeconomics symptom victim Article experience major clinical study migration posttraumatic stress disorder distress syndrome Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic age distribution Emigration and Immigration Linear Models statistical model Los Angeles Korea Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0036718799&doi=10.1097%2f00004583-200209000-00011&partnerID=40&md5=32ef1055621f08c0c5b5a6b926c4928a
DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200209000-00011
ISSN: 08908567
Cited by: 155
Original Language: English