Neuropsychiatrie
Volume 30, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 145-150

Psychiatric symptoms and disorders among Yazidi children and adolescents immediately after forced migration following ISIS attacks [Psychiatrische Symptome und Störungen bei jesidischen Kindern und Jugendlichen unmittelbar nach erzwungener Migration infolge von IS-Angriffen] (Article) (Open Access)

Ceri V. , Özlü-Erkilic Z. , Özer Ü. , Yalcin M. , Popow C. , Akkaya-Kalayci T.*
  • a Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical School of Marmara University, Fevzi Cakmak Mahallesi Mimar Sinan Caddesi No. 41, Üst Kaynarca, Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey
  • b Outpatient Clinic of Transcultural Psychiatry and Migration Induced Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, Vienna, 1090, Austria
  • c Mazhar Osman Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurology, Zuhuratbaba Mah.Dr.Tevfik Sağlam Cad. No:25/2, Bakırköy/İstanbul, 34147, Turkey
  • d Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gazi Yasargil Education and Research Hospital of Diyarbakir, Üçkuyu Mh, Kayapınar/Diyarbakır, 21010, Turkey
  • e Outpatient Clinic of Transcultural Psychiatry and Migration Induced Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, Vienna, 1090, Austria
  • f Outpatient Clinic of Transcultural Psychiatry and Migration Induced Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, Vienna, 1090, Austria

Abstract

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate psychiatric problems and disorders among Yazidi Kurd refugee children and adolescents, who were assessed immediately after their forced migration following life-threatening attacks by ISIS terrorists. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the psychiatric assessments of 38 Yazidi children and adolescents (age 2–18, mean 12 years, m:f = 16:22), which were performed upon their arrival at the refugee camp. Results: All children and adolescents exhibited psychiatric problems and disorders, 50 % had one, and 50 % had more than one. The most relevant problems were disturbed sleeping (71 % of children), followed by depression (36.8 %), conversion disorders (28.9 %), adjustment (21.8 %), acute (18.4 %) and posttraumatic stress (PTSD, 10.5 %) disorders, and non-organic enuresis (18.4 %). Conclusion: Our study confirms the results of previous studies, asserting that refugee children and adolescents do not just suffer from PTSD but from various other problems that are already present in the first days of resettlement. Children and adolescents living in refugee camps urgently need psychosocial support. © 2016, The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Mental health Yazidis Refugees Children and adolescents Psychiatric symptoms and disorders

Index Keywords

nightmare depression refugee Syrian Arab Republic Terrorism human Refugees comorbidity statistics and numerical data Iraq psychiatric diagnosis Mental Disorders mental disease Enuresis Humans migrant psychology Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants preschool child female conversion disorder Child, Preschool clinical article refugee camp Article Retrospective Studies adult selective mutism migration separation anxiety posttraumatic stress disorder Syria acute stress disorder retrospective study major depression personality assessment somatization Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84988311451&doi=10.1007%2fs40211-016-0195-9&partnerID=40&md5=29cee3942399eb3229e4507bbf01d6af
DOI: 10.1007/s40211-016-0195-9
ISSN: 09486259
Cited by: 26
Original Language: English