title: Post-traumatic stress disorder in children witnessing a public hanging in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: A study was made of post-traumatic stress disorder in 200 children aged 7-11 years who had witnessed a public hanging next to their school in Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. A standard checklist was completed through interviews with the children's parents 3 months after the event. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were identified in 104 children (52%), with 88 suffering re-experiences, 24 avoidance and 62 hyperarousal. The mean stress severity according to the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index was 39.1, indicating a moderate to severe severity of stress. The study highlights the serious emotional effects on children who witness traumatic events.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Sciences Research Centre, Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. attari@excite.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dashty
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002203:Capital Punishment / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004522:Educational Status; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011633:Public Facilities; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data