Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie
Volume 65, Issue 10, 2016, Pages 729-743

Mental health in children from families seeking asylum in mecklenburg-western pomerania 2007-2009 - Personal and contextual risk factors [Psychische gesundheit von kindern aus asylsuchenden familien in den jahren 2007-2009 - Person- und kontextseitige risikofaktoren] (Article)

Reis O.* , Jung P. , Häßler F.
  • a Klinik für Psychiatrie, Neurologie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock, 18147, Germany
  • b Klinik für Psychiatrie, Neurologie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock, 18147, Germany
  • c Klinik für Psychiatrie, Neurologie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock, 18147, Germany

Abstract

The study presented describes severity and conditions of various psychiatric symptoms in children from families seeking refuge in Germany 2007-2009 and registered in the province of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Mothers of 58 children (aged 12 years on average, 23 girls, 33 boys) answered the items of the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991). First, the burden of disease among refugee children was compared to standard burdens of German children. Second, the extent of symptoms was predicted by person- and context-related factors. Internalizing symptoms were predicted by more proximal factors, such as parental burden of stress and parental education. Externalizing symptoms and social problems were rather predicted by the length of stay in Germany, the reason for migration, the school career and parental education. On one hand, the study underscores the immediate need for intervention among refugee parents and children. On the other hand, structural factors in the country of arrival (length of stay, schooling) play an important role. © Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen 2016.

Author Keywords

Adolescent Refugees Psychiatric symptoms

Index Keywords

Germany refugee human Refugees checklist Mental Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies Humans cross-sectional study psychology Adolescent male female risk factor Risk Factors Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Reference Values reference value Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85010638203&partnerID=40&md5=415085a6d5cc977c18bfd73f2826d134
ISSN: 00327034
Cited by: 1
Original Language: German