Ptsd

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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS

COPY RIGHT © 2011 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 445

JUNE 2011

VOL 3, NO 2

The Prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Flood Affected School

Children in Pakistan

Nasir Ahmad

PhD scholar (Education) Foundation University Islamabad, Pakistan

Dr.Tayyab Alam Bukhari

Chairman Department of Education, Foundation University Islamabad, Pakistan

Nargis Munir

M.Sc (Clinical Psychology) FFH Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) among flood affected school children in Pakistan. The sample of the study was

comprised of 522 randomly selected students aged 10-16 years from five flood affected districts

of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The instrument used in the study was The Impact of Event Scale-

Revised (IES-R) to measure Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among flood affected school

children in Pakistan.. The main findings of the study were; secondary school students were

highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Female secondary school students were

highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Displaced secondary school students

were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); female students developed more

PTSD as compared to male students; and displaced students developed more PTSD as compared

to non-displaced students.

Key words: Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Flood, The Impact of Event Scale-Revised

(IES-R)

INTRODUCTION

Natural disaster affected the lives of many people all over the world. The affectess of such

disasters faces different calamities in term of deaths, physical injuries, property lose and

psychological injuries. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common

psychological injuries that the victims of natural disasters faced. Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) may be described as characteristic set of symptoms resulting from exposure to traumatic

stressors. DSM-IV described Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as exposure to a traumatic

event in which person has responded with intense fear, helplessness or horror. (Clark, 1999)

Walsh (1994) observed that “Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is usually provoked

by a traumatic events that is outside the rang of usual human experiences such as bereavement,

chronic illness, business losses or marital conflicts.”

The events that caused Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are war, see or experience

physical violence and natural disaster like earth quick, hurricane and flood. Smith (2003)

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observed that Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop immediately after the trauma

or it may be brought on by a minor stress experience week, month or even year later.

Flood is one of the most sever natural disaster and it “can result in direct economic and

property lose, physical injuries, death and psychological injuries” (Huang, 2010). Post traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychological injuries that the flood survivors

faced. Green (1992) examined the survivors of Buffalo creek dam collapse in 1972 and found

that 63% of the survivors were suffering From Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Natural disasters also caused Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among school

students as ziaddini (2009) observed that the prevalence of Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

was 66.7% among high school students after the earth quick disaster in the city of Bam, Iran.

The people of Pakistan faced a devastating flood in late July 2010 following by monsoon

rain in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions. It destroyed the property

and infrastructure and affected about 20 million people, with a death toll close to 2000. The

people had horrifying experiences accompanying death of families and property loses resulted in

severe traumatic responses in surviving people including school children.

The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of Post traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD) among flood affected school children in Pakistan.

METHOD

The sample of the study was comprised of 522 randomly selected students aged 10-16

years from five flood affected districts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. These districts include

Charssada, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Noshehra and Swat. The instrument used in the study was The

Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to measure Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among

flood affected school children in Pakistan.

The Impact of Event Scale (IES) is a short set of 15 questions evaluating experiences of

avoidance and intrusion which attempts to reflect the intensity of the post traumatic phenomena.

Developed in 1979 by Mardi Horowitz, Nancy Wilner, and William Alvarez

Daniel S. Weiss and Charles R. Marmar (1997) chose to revise the scale by adding seven

additional questions to measure another dimension of intense stress events. Both versions have

been found to be valid and reliable. The revised version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES-r) has

seven additional questions and a scoring range of 0 to 88.

On this test, scores that exceed 24 can be quite meaningful. High scores have the following

associations.

24

or more

Those with scores this high have partial PTSD or at least some of the

symptoms.

33

and above

This represents a probable diagnosis of PTSD.

37

or more

This is high enough to suppress your immune system's functioning.

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The data was collected four month after the event.

RESULTS

Table 1 Descriptive statistics

Mean and standard deviation of age and PTSD of flood affected school children

Variables N Mean S.D

Age 522 12.87 1.79

PTSD 522 42.48 9.35

Table 1 shows that the numbers of respondents are 522.The mean and standard deviation

of age are 12.87 and 1.79 respectively. The mean and standard deviation on PTSD scale are

42.48 and 9.35.

Table 2

Total number and percentage (%) of secondary school students on the measure of the Impact of

Event Scale (IES-r)

Scoring rang of IES-r No. of students percentage (%)

Less than 24 16 3.06

24 or more 74 14.17

33 or more 46 8.81

37 or more 386 73.94

Total 522 100

Table 2 shows that the total no. of respondents is 522. Out of which (16) 3.06 % did not have

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (74) 14.17% had partial Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD), (46) 8.81 % had a probable diagnosis of PTSD and (386) 73% had high PTSD. This

shows that secondary school students were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD).

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Table 3

Total number and percentage (%) of male secondary school students on the measure of the

Impact of Event Scale (IES-r)



24 or more 62 22.63

33 or more 42 15.33

37 or more 154 56.20

Total 274 100

Table 3 shows that the total no. of male respondents is 274. Out of which (16) 5.84 % did not

have Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (62) 22.63% had partial Post traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD), (42) 15.33 % had a probable diagnosis of PTSD and (154) 56.20 had high

PTSD. This shows that male secondary school students were affected by Post traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD).

Table 4

Total number and percentage (%) of female secondary school students on the measure of the

Impact of Event Scale (IES-r)


Less than 24 0 0.0

24 or more 12 4.83

33 or more 4 1.61

37 or more 232 93.54

Total 248 100

Table 4 shows that the total no. of female respondents is 248. Out of which (12) 4.83% had

partial Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (4) 1.61 % had a probable diagnosis of PTSD and

(232) 93.54% had high PTSD. This shows that female secondary school students were highly

affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Table 5 Total number and percentage (%) of displaced secondary school students on the

measure of the Impact of Event Scale (IES-r)


Less than 24 0 0.0

24 or more 0 0.0

33 or more 20 6.13

37 or more 306 93.87

Total 326 100

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Table 5 shows that the total no. of displaced respondents is 326. Out of which (20) 6.13 % had a

probable diagnosis of PTSD and (306) 93.87% had high PTSD. This shows that displaced

secondary school students were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Table 6

Total number and percentage (%) of non-displaced secondary school students on the measure of

the Impact of Event Scale (IES-r)



24 or more 66 33.61

33 or more 30 15.31

37 or more 84 42.86

Total 196 100

Table 6 shows that the total no. of non-displaced respondents is 196. Out of which (16) 8.16 %

did not have Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (66) 33.61% had partial Post traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD), (30) 15.31 % had a probable diagnosis of PTSD and (84) 42.86% had high

PTSD. This shows that non-displaced secondary school students were also affected by Post

traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

TABLE 7 Mean, S.D, t and p value of flood affected female and male students on the measure of PTSD.

Variables Female Male t p

N=248 N=274

M S.D M S.D

PTSD 49.02 6.61 36.56 7.32 20.32 .007

df=520

Table 7 reflects the numbers of female and male students are 248 and 274 respectively.

The mean and standard deviation of female students on the measure of PTSD scale are 49.02 and

6.61 and the mean and standard deviation of the male on the measure of PTSD scale are 36.56

and 7.32 respectively. The t and p vale of both groups are 20.32 and .007.

This indicates that the difference between the means of the two groups is significant at

.01 levels. Inspection of means suggests that female students developed more PTSD as compared

to male students.

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TABLE 8 Mean, S.D, t and p value of flood affected displaced and Non-displaced students on the measure

of PTSD.

Variables Displaced Non-displaced t p

N=326 N=196

M S.D M S.D

PTSD 46.78 6.86 35.32 8.53 16.83 .000

df=520

Table 8 reflects the numbers of displaced and non-displaced students are 326 and 196

respectively. The mean and standard deviation of displaced students on the measure of PTSD

scale are 46.78 and 6.86. The mean and standard deviation of non-displaced students on the

measure of PTSD scale are 35.32 and 8.53 respectively. The t and p vale of both groups are

16.83 and .000.

This indicates that the difference between the means of the two groups is significant at

.01 levels. Inspection of means suggests that displaced students developed more PTSD as

compared to non-displaced students.

DISCUSSION The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) among flood affected school children in Pakistan. The main findings of the study were;

secondary school students were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Female

secondary school students were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD;

Displaced secondary school students were highly affected by Post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD); Female students developed more PTSD as compared to male students; and displaced

students developed more PTSD as compared to non-displaced students. The main findings of the study that secondary school students were highly affected by

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was supported by Piyasil et-al (2007) study on Post

traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children after Tsunami disaster in Thailand: 2 years follow-

up. They found that 57.3% students were suffered from Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

among affected children.

The finding of the study that female secondary school students were highly affected by

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was supported by Stallard et-al (1998). They observed that

there is 19% risk of Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in boys and 55% in girls in children

involved in road traffic accidents. This finding was also supported by Breslau (1997) on his

study on Sex Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder observed that Post traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD is more likely to develop in female than in male after exposure to traumatic

events.

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References

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