POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS REACTIONS IN CHILDREN AFTER THE 1988 ARMENIAN EARTHQUAKE

One and a half years after the devastating earthquake in Armenia in 19 88, 231 children from three cities at increasing distances from the ep icentre were randomly screened in their schools to determine the frequ ency and severity of post-traumatic stress reactions, using the Childr en's Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI). A syste matic clinical assessment of PTSD based on DSM-III-R criteria was also conducted on approximately half of this sample. A high CPTSD-RI score was strongly correlated with a clinical diagnosis of PTSD. A strong p ositive correlation was found between proximity to the epicentre and o verall severity of post-traumatic stress reaction, as well as severity of core component symptoms of PTSD. High rates of chronic, severe pos t-traumatic stress reactions were found among children in the two most damaged cities, Spitak and Gumri. Analyses controlling for exposure r evealed that girls reported more persistent fears than boys. These fin dings indicate that after catastrophic natural disaster, post-traumati c reactions in children may reach epidemic proportions, remain high fo r a prolonged period, and jeopardise the well-being of the child popul ation of a large region. Systematic screening of children for PTSD can provide critical information for a rational public mental health prog ramme after such a disaster.