Child Psychiatry and Human Development
Volume 42, Issue 3, 2011, Pages 307-319

Psychopathology in African unaccompanied refugee minors in Austria (Article)

Huemer J.* , Karnik N. , Voelkl-Kernstock S. , Granditsch E. , Plattner B. , Friedrich M. , Steiner H.
  • a Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
  • b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, MC 3077, 5841 S. Maryland, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
  • c Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
  • d Rohrbach Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 1, 4150 Rohrbach, Austria
  • e Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Neptunstrasse 60, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
  • f Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
  • g Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Child Psychiatry and Child Development, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5719, United States

Abstract

We assessed the prevalence of a range of psychopathology among African unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) in Austria. Additionally, the predictive value of war exposure on PTSD symptoms was examined. Forty-one URMs were assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents, the Youth Self-Report, the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index and Facts About You. As expected, 56% of youth had at least one diagnosis by structured clinical interview. The most common diagnoses were adjustment disorder, PTSD and dysthymia. War affliction marginally predicted (p = 0.065) PTSD controlling for age and gender. URMs had high levels of psychopathology compared to norms. Their PTSD rates were somewhat lower than found in previous studies. We discuss methodological and substantive reasons for this finding. Future studies need to examine URMs across the entire diagnostic spectrum and employ multi-method designs to yield valid results. The psychopathology in URMs has clinical and forensic implications. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.

Author Keywords

PTSD unaccompanied refugee minors psychopathology

Index Keywords

Negro refugee psychological aspect human Refugees statistics war Austria ethnology Mental Disorders mental disease Humans Adolescent African Continental Ancestry Group male female Africa questionnaire prevalence Article Questionnaires
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79959746277&doi=10.1007%2fs10578-011-0219-4&partnerID=40&md5=04e12f2d9d4df8aca521b588f7744719
DOI: 10.1007/s10578-011-0219-4
ISSN: 0009398X
Cited by: 22
Original Language: English