Prevalence and co-existence of morbidity of posttraumatic stress and functional impairment among Burundian refugee children and their parents [布隆迪难民儿童及其父母的创伤后应激障碍和功能障碍的同时发病率和共病率] [Prevalencia y coexistencia de la morbilidad del estrés postraumático y el deterioro funcional entre los niños refugiados Burundeses y sus padres]

European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Volume 10, Issue 1, 2019

Prevalence and co-existence of morbidity of posttraumatic stress and functional impairment among Burundian refugee children and their parents [布隆迪难民儿童及其父母的创伤后应激障碍和功能障碍的同时发病率和共病率] [Prevalencia y coexistencia de la morbilidad del estrés postraumático y el deterioro funcional entre los niños refugiados Burundeses y sus padres] (Article) (Open Access)

Scharpf F.* , Kyaruzi E. , Landolt M.A. , Hecker T.

^a Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
^b Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies, Dar es salaam University College of Education, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
^c University Children’s Hospital Zurich and Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
^d Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University and Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Bielefeld, Germany

Abstract

Background: Although the family constitutes the prime source of risk and resilience for the well-being of children growing up in adverse conditions, the mental health of children living in refugee camps has rarely been investigated in conjunction with their parents’ mental health. Objectives: To examine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems among Burundian refugee children and their parents living in Tanzanian refugee camps and to identify patterns of comorbidity among children and their parents based on PTSD symptom levels and functional impairment. Methods: We recruited a representative sample of 230 children aged 7–15 years and both of their parents (n = 690) and conducted separate structured clinical interviews. Latent Class Analysis was applied to identify patterns of comorbidity. Results: Children and parents were exposed to multiple traumatic event types. In total, 5.7% of children fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for PTSD in the past month and 10.9% reported enhanced levels of other mental health problems. 42.6% indicated clinically significant functional impairment due to PTSD symptoms. PTSD prevalence was higher among mothers (32.6%) and fathers (29.1%). Latent Class Analysis (LCA) revealed a familial accumulation of PTSD symptoms as children with high symptom levels and impairment were likely to live in families with two traumatized parents. Conclusions: Although the number of children who need support for trauma-related mental health problems was relatively low, taking into account parental trauma could aid to identify at-risk children with elevated PTSD symptom levels and impairment even in the face of existing barriers to mental health care access for children in refugee camp settings (e.g. lack of targeted services, prioritization of managing daily stressors). © 2019, © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Refugee children Refugee camp posttraumatic stress disorder Refugee families Prevalence

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85073534990&doi=10.1080%2f20008198.2019.1676005&partnerID=40&md5=1c18bb9968fe291671d48b24d1806c92

DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1676005

ISSN: 20008198

Original Language: English