title: Validity of PTSD in a sample of refugee children: can a separate diagnostic entity be justified?
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the construct validity of PTSD in a sample of refugee children from the Middle East-- more specifically, to assess whether associations between traumatic events and specific PTSD symptoms were more outspoken than (1) the associations of PTSD symptoms with non-traumatic exposures, and (2) the associations of violent exposures with symptoms other than PTSD-symptoms. Parents of 311 refugee children from the Middle East were interviewed concerning their children's traumatic experiences and mental health symptoms. The specific PTSD symptoms did not cluster in a factor analysis. The PTSD symptom complex was significantly predicted not only by violent exposures (mother tortured, OR 8.2, p < 0.005; father disappeared OR 3.2, p < 0.05) but also by indicators of family interaction and parents' occupational situation. The two identified violent exposures had significant independent associations with a series of symptoms including symptoms other than those of PTSD (r(s) ranging from 0.25 to 0.44, p < 0.001). Thus it does not seem sufficient to focus solely on PTSD symptomatology when assessing the mental health needs of refugee children.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foldspang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology