Mental health status in children exposed to tsunami
- 1 January 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in International Review of Psychiatry
- Vol. 18 (6), 507-513
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09540260601037581
Abstract
As a vulnerable group, children are more prone to experiencing trauma and its sequelae. After the Asian tsunami we set out to evaluate the effect of exposure to the tsunami nearly one year after the event and to explore the family history of psychopathology on the mental health of children. This community-based study of 230 children was conducted in Srinivasapuram, a coastal village in Tamil Nadu. A youth self-report form (YSR) of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), exposure to the tsunami, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and family history of psychopathology were assessed. The severity of exposure to the tsunami correlated with anxiety and somatic domains of the DSM IV and PTSD symptoms. Family history of psychopathology correlated with affective and somatic symptoms. Multiple regression analysis revealed that family psychopathology influenced affective problems (R2 = 0.071 (n = 199), F = 15.13, p = 0.00) while exposure to the tsunami influenced anxiety problems (R2 = 0.046 (n = 208), F = 9.91, p = 0.002). The findings from this study reveal that targeted specialized mental health services are needed for children with severe exposure to the tsunami and positive family history of psychopathology.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- A Prospective Study of Posttraumatic Stress and Depressive Reactions Among Treated and Untreated Adolescents 5 Years After a Catastrophic DisasterAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 2005
- Psychopathology Among New York City Public School Children 6 Months After September 11Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Cuban Children and Adolescents After Release From a Refugee CampPsychiatric Services, 2002
- Posttraumatic Stress and Depressive Reactions Among Nicaraguan Adolescents After Hurricane MitchAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 2001
- Outcome of psychotherapy among early adolescents after traumaAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 1997
- Psychiatric Comorbidity in Children after the 1988: Earthquake in ArmeniaJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1995
- Children Exposed to Disaster: II. Risk Factors for the Development of Post-Traumatic SymptomatologyJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1994
- Children and Disaster: Age, Gender, and Parental Effects on PTSD SymptomsJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1991
- Life Threat and Posttraumatic Stress in School-age ChildrenArchives of General Psychiatry, 1987
- Children of Disaster: Clinical Observations at Buffalo CreekAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 1976