Traumatic Experiences and Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Kurdish Children in their Native Country and in Exile.

Abstract

Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed in Kurdish children in their native country and in exile. 312 randomly selected school-age children at two sites completed assessments of traumatic experiences and post-traumatic symptoms. Although traumatic experiences showed more similarities than differences between the two samples, the PTSD frequencies and post-traumatic stress symptom scores were higher in Kurdistan than in exile. Living in exile showed negative correlation with PTSD frequencies and post-traumatic stress symptom scores. Living in exile seems to have trauma healing effect on children of Kurdistan.