title: Prevalence and correlates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidality in Jordanian youth in institutional care.
abstract: Youth in institutional care centers have higher mental illness rates compared with community populations. Research examining mental illness among youth in institutional care in the Middle East is lacking. This study examines the prevalence and correlates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidality of youth in institutional care in Jordan. Data were collected through youth interviews, staff-caregiver surveys, and administrative files. Prevalence rates and logistic regressions were used to model suicidality across depression, PTSD, and comorbid depression/PTSD, controlling for youth characteristics, case history, and social support factors. Institutionalized youth endorsed high rates of mental illness (45% depression, 24% PTSD, 17% depression/PTSD, 27% suicidality). The odds of suicidality for depressed youth were 3.6 times higher. Abuse was significant, with the odds of suicidality for abused youth 4 times higher. Elevated rates of mental illness and suicidality indicate the importance of addressing these needs within institutions. Developing institutional programs that foster peer relationships is recommended.
authors: *Columbia University, New York, NY; †University of Georgia, Athens; and ‡Columbia University Middle East Research Center, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Robin E
authors: RE
authors: Gearing
authors: Kathryne B
authors: KB
authors: Brewer
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Elkins
authors: Rawan W
authors: RW
authors: Ibrahim
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: MacKenzie
authors: Craig S J
authors: CS
authors: Schwalbe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002674:Child, Institutionalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019372:Orphanages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*