A PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF PTSD AND GRIEF AMONG THE CHILDREN OF KUWAIT FOLLOWING THE GULF CRISIS

This preliminary study of Kuwaiti children confirms the significant im pact of exposure to war atrocities on children. This pilot sampling pr ovided evidence that: (1) many children who remained in Kuwait during the occupation had multiple war-related exposures; (2) more than 70 pe r cent of the children reported moderate to severe post-traumatic stre ss reactions; and (3) witnessing death or injury and the viewing of ex plicit graphic images of mutilation on television had measurable influ ence on severity of reaction. The highest mean Child Post-Traumatic St ress Disorder Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI) score was found for those chil dren who reported hurting someone else. Older children had both greate r exposure to atrocities and higher CPTSD-RI scores. Findings suggest the need for public policy to minimize children's exposure to graphic depictions of war-related injury, death and mutilation.