title: Maternal PTSD following Exposure to the Wenchuan Earthquake Is Associated with Impaired Mental Development of Children.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore whether earthquake-related maternal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with impaired development of infants. Participants included 86 women who were pregnant during or after the earthquake in Ningqiang county, and their children. Data were collected from February to March of 2012. PTSD questionnaire (PTSD Checklist, Civilian Version (PCL-C)) was used to measure the effect of the earthquake on mothers, and that the scores greater than 50 were used to indicate presence of PTSD. Each child was assessed using the mental Developmental Screening Test (DST) according to age. Among the 86 women, PTSD scores equal to or greater than 50 accounted for 20.93%. Among the 86 children, 25.60% of development quotient (DQ) scores and 19.80% of mental index (MI) scores were less than 85. The correlation coefficient analysis showed that PTSD scores were inversely related to DQ and MI scores. Maternal PTSD following earthquake exposure is associated with relatively lower intellectual development in children age 0-3 years. Further research is needed to assess the persistent effects of this influence on offspring of mothers exposed to earthquake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Dongge
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Province Biomedicine Key Laboratory, College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.|Department of Pharmacology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhongliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Lanying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaogui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qiuyuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult