Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder in Tibetan Refugee Children

Abstract

In an exploratory survey the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) was estimated in children who escaped from Tibet and found refuge in Tibetan settlements in India. As part of an exploratory mission of the international medical relief organization Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres), 61 randomly selected children from four group homes of the Tibetan Children Village in Dharamsala, India, were interviewed for symptoms of PTSD and MDD. 11.5% of the children met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD, and the same proportion met criteria for MDD. Children who had arrived from Tibet more recently (in the previous 18 months) showed a tendency for greater prevalence of PTSD than children who had been refugees longer. Tibetan children who succeed in their journey into exile suffer levels of stress-related disorders comparable with those of children in war situations or those exposed to natural disasters. However, in this population, several protective factors may help reduce the level of distress over time.