Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Volume 13, Issue 4, 2008, Pages 193-197

Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms in Kurdish children in their native country and in Exile (Article)

Ahmad A.* , von Knorring A.-L. , Sundelin-Wahlsten V.
  • a Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
  • b Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
  • c Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

Background: Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed in Kurdish children in their native country and in exile. Methods: 312 randomly selected school-age children at two sites completed assessments of traumatic experiences and post-traumatic symptoms. Results: Although traumatic experiences showed more similarities than differences between the two samples, the PTSD frequencies and post-traumatic stress symptom scores were higher in Kurdistan than in exile. Living in exile showed negative correlation with PTSD frequencies and post-traumatic stress symptom scores. Conclusions: Living in exile seems to have trauma healing effect on children of Kurdistan. © 2008 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Author Keywords

Childhood PTSD Kurdistan trauma

Index Keywords

personal experience symptomatology correlation analysis human psychologic assessment controlled study Iraq priority journal interview Sweden cross-sectional study Adolescent male female Incidence scoring system Article major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder child health care Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-54049154738&doi=10.1111%2fj.1475-3588.2008.00501.x&partnerID=40&md5=d7b239fe5b36983a74b334d158ab9178
DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2008.00501.x
ISSN: 1475357X
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English