THE SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ORPHANS IN ORPHANAGES AND TRADITIONAL FOSTER-CARE IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

In order to investigate orphans' situation and development in Iraqi Ku rdistan, samples from the two available orphan care systems, the tradi tional foster care and the modem orphanages, are examined at an index test and at 1-year follow-up regarding competency scores and behaviora l problems at both test occasions, and posttraumatic stress reactions at a 1-year follow-up. Achenbach Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) and two instruments regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were u sed. While competency scores showed an improvement in both samples at the follow-up test, the problem scores increased in the orphanage samp le and decreased among the foster care subjects. Moreover, the orphana ge sample reported higher frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the foster care children. The results are discussed with r egard to the value of the Kurdish society's own traditions in taking c are of orphans. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd