The prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed in random samples of school-aged Kurdistanian children and their parents in homeland and exile. Of the 376 eligible children at the two sites, 312 children and their parents (293 mothers and 248 fathers) completed the Harvard-Uppsala Trauma Questionnaire and Posttraumatic Stress Symptom interviews for children, and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire for parents. Unlike their children, fathers showed significantly higher PTSD frequencies in exile than in the homeland. The fathers' PTSD negatively correlated with the living standard and fathers' education, while child PTSD mostly correlated with maternal education and living in exile. Living in exile seems to have a negative impact on fathers' post-traumatic reactions, despite its positive influence on children. High drop-outs in exile limit the conclusions.

Childhood trauma cross-cultural Exile Kurdistan PTSD

personal experience education educational status human Life Change Events Refugees Ethnic Groups Interview, Psychological controlled study Iraq Fathers Cross-Sectional Studies interview Sweden Humans Adolescent parent male female Risk Factors questionnaire Mothers Parent-Child Relations prevalence Resilience, Psychological Article father mother Social Environment adult random sample posttraumatic stress disorder Sex Factors Age Factors Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Child