title: Risk factors for PTSD, anxiety, and depression among adolescents in Gaza.
abstract: The present study examined among adolescents in Gaza the relationship between exposure to war stressors and psychological distress as well as the effects of age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Data were collected from a sample of 139 adolescents 12 to 17 years old. Results showed that adolescents reported elevated levels of intrusion, avoidance, and depression compared to levels in communities not affected by war in the recent past. The proportion scoring within the clinical range of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 56.8% compared to 6.3% in peacetime populations, reflecting a Hedges's g of 1.29 (p < .001). Significant risk factors for PTSD were exposure (β = .377, p < .001), female gender (β = -.257, p < .001), older age (β = .280, p < .01), and an unemployed father (β = -.280, p < .01). Risk factors for anxiety were exposure (β = .304, p < .001), female gender (β = -.125, p < .01), and older age (β = 272, p < .01), whereas female gender (β = <.238, p < .001) was the only significant risk factor for depression. The present study suggests large individual differences in how adolescents are affected by war stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Silje
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolltveit
authors.forename: Ida Ingridsdatter
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Lange-Nielsen
authors.forename: Abdel Aziz Mousa
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Thabet
authors.forename: Atle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dyregrov
authors.forename: Ståle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pallesen
authors.forename: Tom Backer
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: Jon Christian
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Laberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014857:Warfare