title: Posttraumatic stress symptoms seen in children within the 3-month period after the Van earthquake in Turkey.
abstract: The research was conducted to determine the posttraumatic stress symptoms seen in children within the 3 month period after the Van earthquake in Turkey. The research was conducted between December 2011 and January 2012 with the earthquake survivor children in the 7-12 age group living in the tent city built in the central area of Van. The research data were collected by the researcher using the Childhood Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI) and a questionnaire prepared by the researchers that contained questions on some information about the earthquake and on sociodemographic characteristics.It was found out that 8.6% (26) of the children had mild symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 19.7% (60) of the children had moderate symptoms of PTSD, 47.7% (145) of the children had severe symptoms of PTSD and 24.0% (73) of the children had very severe symptoms of PTSD. Furthermore, a significant difference (P < 0.001) was found between mean CPTS-RI scores and the economic losses experienced in the families of the children. In the study, PTSD was identified in the majority of children in the 7-12 age group who experienced the Van earthquake.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Science, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Küçükoğlu
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, Van Research and Education Hospital, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Naci
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onur Burak
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Dursun
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey
keywords: child; earthquake; posttraumatic stress disorder