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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 3/2018

01-06-2018 | Original Paper

Psychopathology and Associated Risk Factors Among Forcibly Displaced Syrian Children and Adolescents

Authors: Vahdet Gormez, Hale Nur Kılıç, A. Cahid Orengul, Merve Nursoy Demir, Şeyma Demirlikan, Sibel Demirbaş, Betül Babacan, Kerem Kınık, Bengi Semerci

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 3/2018

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Abstract

More than half of the 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees in Turkey are under 18 years of age. This study investigates prevalence of psychopathology and associated risk factors in refugee children in Turkey. Of a total of 218 children aged 9–15 years, 56.2% lost someone important to them, 55.1% saw dead or wounded people, 70.4% witnessed explosions or gun battles, 42.5% witnessed people being tortured and 25.6% personally experienced cruelty/torture during war. Prevalence of PTSD was 18.3% and that of anxiety-related disorders were as high as 69.0%. Death of an important person (p = .032) and male gender (p = .040) were associated with PTSD; whilst exposure to cruelty or torture (p = .014) and increasing duration of refuge (p = .042) were significantly associated with development of anxiety disorders. Findings of the present study reveals existence of the expected but unspoken mental health needs among the Syrian children in Turkey.
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Metadata
Title
Psychopathology and Associated Risk Factors Among Forcibly Displaced Syrian Children and Adolescents
Authors
Vahdet Gormez
Hale Nur Kılıç
A. Cahid Orengul
Merve Nursoy Demir
Şeyma Demirlikan
Sibel Demirbaş
Betül Babacan
Kerem Kınık
Bengi Semerci
Publication date
01-06-2018
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 3/2018
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0680-7

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