Biomaterial Database

Posttraumatic stress disorder across two generations of Cambodian refugees. 1995

W H Sack, and G N Clarke, and J Seeley

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201, USA.

OBJECTIVE To examine the expression of war-related trauma as manifested by DSM-III-R rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder in two generations of Cambodian refugees living in the western United States. METHODS A probability sample of 209 Khmer adolescents and one of their parents were interviewed using portions of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Epidemiologic Version and the PTSD section of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents. Interviews were conducted in English by a master's-level clinician with a Khmer interpreter. RESULTS PTSD was found to be significantly related across parent-child generations. A nonsignificant generational trend was also found for depressive disorders. A number of environmental variables measured in the study (amount of reported war trauma, loss, living arrangements, treatment received, socioeconomic status) were not related to these findings. Parents were more likely to report an earlier onset of PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that PTSD in refugees may cluster in families. Whether this phenomenon is caused by a genetic susceptibility to trauma awaits further research. PTSD and depressive disorders in refugee populations, while often comorbid, appear to follow different courses over time.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010290	Parents	Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent.	Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D011569	Psychiatric Status Rating Scales	Standardized procedures utilizing rating scales or interview schedules carried out by health personnel for evaluating the degree of mental illness.	Factor Construct Rating Scales (FCRS),Katz Adjustment Scales,Lorr's Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Rating Scale,Wittenborn Scales,Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale,Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
D012036	Refugees	Persons fleeing to a place of safety, especially those who flee to a foreign country or power to escape danger, persecution, or economic distress in their own country or habitual residence.	Asylum Seekers,Displaced Persons,Internally Displaced Persons,Political Asylum Seekers,Political Refugees,Asylum Seeker,Asylum Seeker, Political,Asylum Seekers, Political,Displaced Person,Displaced Person, Internally,Displaced Persons, Internally,Internally Displaced Person,Person, Displaced,Persons, Displaced,Political Asylum Seeker,Political Refugee,Refugee,Refugee, Political,Refugees, Political,Seeker, Asylum,Seekers, Asylum,Seekers, Political Asylum
D002160	Cambodia	A country located in Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. The capital is Phnom Penh.	Kampuchea,Khmer Republic
D003866	Depressive Disorder	An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent.	Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D012189	Retrospective Studies	Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons.	Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D012923	Social Class	A stratum of people with similar position and prestige; includes social stratification. Social class is measured by criteria such as education, occupation, and income.	Caste,Social Gradients,Socioeconomic Level,Socioeconomic Status,Middle Class Population,Castes,Class, Social,Gradient, Social,Level, Socioeconomic,Middle Class Populations,Population, Middle Class,Social Classes,Social Gradient,Socioeconomic Levels,Status, Socioeconomic