Abstract
Background & Objectives:Terrorist attack in Army Public School Peshawar, Pakistan left behind more than hundred children dead. It was the highest death toll of children in the world in a single terrorists attack. The attack dominated national and international news, high level security measures have been adopted in all school throughout Pakistan, which created fear and stress in children. The objective of the study was to determine post-traumatic stress disorder among children after six month of terrorist attack inspite of rigorous psychosocial support and rehabilitation.Methods:We wanted to determine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among children of Army Public School of age range 10 to 18 years after 5 months of intervention and rehabilitation following terrorists attack. For this a self-report questionnaire, Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS), which assess and identify symptoms matching DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) IV criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder of children, was filled. Informed consent was taken from school Principal and responders.Results:A total 205 students of age range 10 to 18 years participated in the study. The most frequent age group of the study were 16 years and 14 years students with frequency 58 (28.3%) and 46 (22.4%) respectively. Among 205 participated school children PTSD were found in 154 (75.2%) children while only 24.8% students had no PTSD symptoms. In more than 50% PTSD positive school children had functional impairment for each category of fun and hobbies, friendship, school work, family relation, doing chores, general happiness and saying prayers.Conclusion:Study found a very high prevalence of PTSD among 10 to 18 years age group students of Army Public School inspite of five months continuous intervention and rehabilitation services. Study showed that this age group needs long term psychosocial treatment in case of trauma.
Highlights
Terrorism and war are the acts of violence emerged with the perpetrated act of human
This research survey demonstrate the impact of rehabilitation and psychotherapy services carried out in Army public school for children after Six month of terrorists attack
Other psychological difficulties may be present but this study focused only on the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children based on diagnostic criteria of DSM IV using Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) scale for children
Summary
Terrorism and war are the acts of violence emerged with the perpetrated act of human. The objective of the study was to determine post-traumatic stress disorder among children after six month of terrorist attack inspite of rigorous psychosocial support and rehabilitation. Methods: We wanted to determine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among children of Army Public School of age range 10 to 18 years after 5 months of intervention and rehabilitation following terrorists attack. Conclusion: Study found a very high prevalence of PTSD among 10 to 18 years age group students of Army Public School inspite of five months continuous intervention and rehabilitation services. Study showed that this age group needs long term psychosocial treatment in case of trauma
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