Elsevier

Child Abuse & Neglect

Volume 21, Issue 4, April 1997, Pages 351-366
Child Abuse & Neglect

Refugee children in Sweden: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Iranian preschool children exposed to organized violence,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(96)00176-7Get rights and content

Abstract

Fifty preschool children from 47 Iranian families living as refugees in Sweden were assessed individually, simultaneously with parental interviews focusing on exposure to organized violence and post-traumatic stress symptomatology in the children. Information given by the children increased the prevalence of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis (DSM-III-R) from 2% to 21% in the 42 children with traumatic exposure through war and political persecution. The amount of traumatic exposure was strongly related to the prevalence of PTSD. The stability of prevalence was high in a follow-up 2 and 12 years later; 23% of the children with traumatic exposure still met the full criteria of PTSD according to DSM-III-R.

Résumé

Cinquante enfants d'âg≐ pré-scolaire de familles iraniennês réfugiées en Suède ont été évalués individuellement, en même temps qu'on a interviewé les parents pour savoir si les enfants avaient été exposés à des actes de violence organisèe et s'ils souffraient de symptômes du désordre de stress post-traumatique. Lorsqu'on a pris en considération les renseignements que les enfants ont fournis, la prévalence du diagnostique de désordre de stress post-traumatique (DSM-III-R) grimpe de 2 p.c. à 21 p.c. chez 42 des enfants qui ont connu des traumatismes de guerre et la persécution politique. La sévérité de l'expérience traumatique est donc un facteur qui influence la prévalence de ce diangnostique. La prévalence se maintient lorsqu'on effectue un suivi deux ans et demi plus tard, alors que 23 p.c. des enfants ayant connu des expériences traumatisantes satisfont tous les critères pour ce diagnostique.

Resumen

Se evaluaron individualmente cincuenta niños pre-escolares de 47 familias Iraníes viviendo como refugiados en Suiza; simultáneamente se entrevistaron los padres enfocando la exposición a la violencia organizada y la sintomatología del estres post-traumático en los niños. La informacion que ofrecieron los ninos aumentaron la prevalencia de un dianóstico de Desorden de Estres Post-Traumático (DSM-III-R) de 2% a 21% en los 42 niños con exposición traumática a través de persecución politica y de guerra. La cantidad de exposición traumática se relacionó fuertemente a la prevalencia del PTSD. La estabilidad de la prevalencia era alta en un estudio de seguimiento dos años y medio más tarde; 23% de los niños con exposición traumática respondían a todos los criterios del PTSD de acuerdo al DSM-III-R.

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    This research was supported in part by a grant from the Swedish Save-the-Children Association and in part by the County Council of Värmland.

    ☆☆

    This manuscript was completed through support by a grant from The National Board of Health and Welfare.

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