@article{ref1,
title="Mental health in Syrian children with a focus on post-traumatic stress: a cross-sectional study from Syrian schools",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2018",
author="Perkins, Jon Davis and Ajeeb, Maiss and Fadel, Lina and Saleh, Ghassan",
volume="53",
number="11",
pages="1231-1239",
abstract="PURPOSE: Studies show that conflict can negatively affect psychological health. The Syrian crisis is 8 years old and yet little is known about the impact of the conflict on the well-being of Syrians who remain. This gap was addressed by conducting an empirical study on the mental health burden of Syrian children in two areas of the country. <br><br>METHODS: 492 children between 8 and 15 years were randomly selected from schools in Damascus and Latakia. The incidence of psychological disorder symptoms was measured using self-report screening instruments, the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8) and the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-25). Simultaneously, sociodemographic and traumatic event information was collected. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors that influence the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. <br><br>RESULTS: In our sample, 50.2% of students were internally displaced and 32.1% reported a negative experience. 60.5% of those tested had at least one probable psychological disorder with PTSD the most common (35.1%), followed by depression (32.0%), and anxiety (29.5%). Binary logistic regression indicated that PTSD symptoms were predicted by: living in Damascus [odds ratio (OR) 2.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51-3.69], being female (1.54, 1.02-2.34), having depression and anxiety (2.55, 1.48-4.40), and the negative experiences; displacement and daily warzone exposure (1.84, 1.02-3.30 and 2.67, 1.08-6.60). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Syrian children are experiencing traumatic events and war-associated daily stresses that are hugely impacting psychological well-being. Our data offer guidance for mental health providers regarding risk factors and highlights the use of the school system to reach suffering children.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-018-1573-3",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1573-3"
}