Changes Over Time in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among Children Who Survived the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and Predictive Variables
Open Access
- 22 September 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Psychiatry
Abstract
Background: This study examines changes over time in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children who survived the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and the relevant predictive variables. Methods: A total of 203 children and adolescents were investigated 24 months after the earthquake, and 151 children and adolescents completed the 1-year follow-up study. Participants completed the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictors of changes in PTSD severity. Results: Eighty percent of the children still had some PTSD symptoms 2 years after the Wenchuan earthquake, and 66.25% of the children had symptoms that lasted 3 years. In the model predicting PTSD symptom severity, the loss of family members and child burial explained a significant 21.9% of the variance, and depression explained a significant 16.7% of the variance. In the model predicting changes in PTSD severity, the change scores for resilience and depression explained a significant 18.7% of the variance, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) explained a significant 33.6% of the variance. Conclusions: PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents can persist for many years after trauma. In addition to using psychological interventions to improve PTSD symptoms, improvements in depression and resilience should also be considered.This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Posttraumatic Symptoms in Elementary and Junior High School Children after the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: Symptom Severity and Recovery Vary by Age and SexThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2014
- Assessment of prevalence and determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms in adults survivors of earthquake in Haiti after 30 monthsJournal of Affective Disorders, 2014
- Effectiveness RCT of a CBT Intervention for Youths Who Lost Parents in the Sichuan, China, EarthquakePsychiatric Services, 2014
- Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms among child survivors 1 year following the Wenchuan earthquake in ChinaEuropean Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2013
- Traumatic experiences and mental health consequences among child survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake: a community-based follow-up studyBMC Public Health, 2013
- Analysis of prevalence of PTSD and its influencing factors among college students after the Wenchuan earthquakeChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2013
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of pediatric posttraumatic stress disorder: A review and meta-analysisJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 2011
- Association for Oral Surgery and Study Group for Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine in the DGZMK: Annual Congress in Bad HomburgInternational Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, 2004
- Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)Depression and Anxiety, 2003
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Child Survivors of Shipping Disasters: The Sinking of the ‘Jupiter’Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1992