Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety among Adolescents following the 2010 Yushu Earthquake

Yuchang Jin, Dongyue Liu and Wang Guan

Background: This study was undertaken three years after the Yushu earthquake with the aim of exploring the differences in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety symptoms between different groups. The survey was conveyed in Yushu Tibetan autonomous regions Ethnic School and the number of the participants was about one thousand. Method: T-test and chi-square test are mainly used to examine the correlation. In particularly, comprehend bivariate correlation analysis. Results: Three years following the disaster, 8.9% of participants reported PTSD and 49.3% displayed anxiety symptoms. A difference analysis of PTSD and anxiety symptoms across gender and grade subgroups suggested that there were no signi?cant gender differences in the anxiety and PTSD scores. However, there was a significant grade difference for anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the prevalence of PTSD was low among Tibetan adolescent. But the better of living environment and the customs habits did not change their anxiety level. This study may be useful for strengthening directing and evaluating mental health needs, as well as providing information on the psychological impact of the earthquake on this particular ethnic group in China.