PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents 28 months after a flood: age and gender differences

Abstract

The present study examined the prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD) in a sample of 533 students (aged 11 to 21), 28 months after the 1997 Flood in southwestern Poland. The results show that 18% of the participants met all diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Based on hierarchical multiple regression analyses, PTSD criteria symptoms were positively correlated with the degree of exposure to trauma experienced during the disaster. A three-way interaction of trauma, age, and gender showed that more PTSD symptoms were observed among the younger participants and girls than among the older boys. The results confirm the need of research testing culturally sensitive implementation of mental health programs for young victims of disasters, taking into account their age and gender.