Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among adolescents following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

TLDR

The study assessed PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms in 2,250 adolescents six months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. The authors examined how residence type and sibling number interacted to influence PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Results indicated that 15.8% of adolescents had PTSD, 40.5% had anxiety, and 24.5% had depression, with high comorbidity; female gender, older age, and greater earthquake exposure were risk factors, and the findings suggest targeted interventions for post‑earthquake adolescents.

Abstract

Abstract This study examined the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression among 2,250 adolescents 6 months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Results showed that 15.8%, 40.5%, and 24.5% of participants reported clinical symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression were highly comorbid. Risk factors for symptoms of the 3 disorders were female gender, older age, and earthquake disaster exposure. In addition, the interaction effects of residence (urban/rural) and number of siblings of study subjects on symptoms of the 3 disorders were examined. Implications of findings on intervention and prevention of mental health problems among adolescents after experiencing earthquake disasters are discussed.