Posttraumatic reactions among injured children and their caregivers 3 months after the terrorist attack in Beslan.
This report describes symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a group of Beslan's children (N=22) and their primary caregivers (N=20) 3 months after the children had been taken hostage in their school by a group of terrorists. Attention and memory were also measured. Children and their caretakers showed high levels of ongoing PTSD symptoms. Children also showed difficulties in sustaining attention and in short-term memory (digit span). These scores strongly indicate the need for appropriate interventions and ongoing monitoring of course of recovery.
Scrimin
Sara
S
Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy. sara.scrimin@unipd.it
Axia
Giovanna
G
Capello
Fabia
F
Moscardino
Ughetta
U
Steinberg
Alan M
AM
Pynoos
Robert S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology*