Trauma History and Psychopathology in War‐Affected Refugee Children Referred for Trauma‐Related Mental Health Services in the United States

Bibliographic Data

ID23358204
AuthorsTheresa Betancourt (0000-0002-3683-4440, Department of Global Health and Population Harvard School of Public Health Boston Massachusetts USA, corresponding author), Theresa S Betancourt (Department of Global Health and Population Harvard School of Public Health Boston Massachusetts USA), Elizabeth A Newnham (0000-0001-5042-108X, François‐Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights Harvard School of Public Health Boston Massachusetts USA), Christopher M Layne (0000-0002-2611-1783, UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles California USA), Soeun Kim (0000-0001-5138-4604, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health Los Angeles California USA), Alan M Steinberg (0000-0001-5407-5014, UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles California USA), Heidi Ellis (Boston Children's Hospital Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA), Dina Birman (0000-0003-2513-3048, Department of Psychology University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago Illinois USA)
Year2012
Volume25
Issue6
Pages682-690
Publication date2012-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Traumatic Stress (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0894-9867 • E-ISSN: 1573-6598
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jts.21749
PMID23225034
OpenAlexW1848478814
LanguageEN
Citations received70
References cited49

There is an increasing need to deliver effective mental health services to refugee children and adolescents across the United States; however, the evidence base needed to guide the design and delivery of services is nascent. We investigated the trauma history profiles, psychopathology, and associated behavioral and functional indicators among war‐affected refugee children presenting for psychological treatment. From the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Core Data Set, 60 war‐affected refugee children were identified (51.7% males, mean age = 13.1 years, SD = 4.13). Clinical assessments indicated high rates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (30.4%), generalized anxiety (26.8%), somatization (26.8%), traumatic grief (21.4%), and general behavioral problems (21.4%). Exposure to war or political violence frequently co‐occurred with forced displacement; traumatic loss; bereavement or separation; exposure to community violence; and exposure to domestic violence. Academic problems and behavioral difficulties were prevalent (53.6% and 44.6%, respectively); however, criminal activity, alcohol/drug use, and self‐harm were rare (all

Anxiety · Medical emergency · Mental health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychological trauma · Psychopathology · Public health · Refugee · Somatization · Child Abuse and Trauma · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology