Journal of Traumatic Stress
Volume 25, Issue 6, 2012, Pages 682-690

Trauma history and psychopathology in war-affected refugee children referred for trauma-related mental health services in the United States (Article)

Betancourt T.S.* , Newnham E.A. , Layne C.M. , Kim S. , Steinberg A.M. , Ellis H. , Birman D.
  • a Department of Global Health, Population Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States, François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
  • b François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  • c UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • d University of California Los Angeles, School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • e UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • f Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
  • g Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Abstract

There is an increasing need to deliver effective mental health services to refugee children and adolescents across the United States; however, the evidence base needed to guide the design and delivery of services is nascent. We investigated the trauma history profiles, psychopathology, and associated behavioral and functional indicators among war-affected refugee children presenting for psychological treatment. From the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Core Data Set, 60 war-affected refugee children were identified (51.7% males, mean age = 13.1 years, SD = 4.13). Clinical assessments indicated high rates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (30.4%), generalized anxiety (26.8%), somatization (26.8%), traumatic grief (21.4%), and general behavioral problems (21.4%). Exposure to war or political violence frequently co-occurred with forced displacement; traumatic loss; bereavement or separation; exposure to community violence; and exposure to domestic violence. Academic problems and behavioral difficulties were prevalent (53.6% and 44.6%, respectively); however, criminal activity, alcohol/drug use, and self-harm were rare (all < 5.45%). These findings highlight the complex trauma profiles, comorbid conditions, and functional problems that are important to consider in providing mental health interventions for refugee children and adolescents. Given the difficulties associated with access to mental health services for refugees, both preventive and community-based interventions within family, school, and peer systems hold particular promise. © 2012 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee mental health service psychological aspect human Refugees war Mental Health Services Mental Disorders mental disease United States Humans Adolescent male preschool child Child, Preschool Article posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84870756718&doi=10.1002%2fjts.21749&partnerID=40&md5=845ddb1fb1886943b800f11ca7c34542
DOI: 10.1002/jts.21749
ISSN: 08949867
Cited by: 51
Original Language: English