[The symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety in adolescent students three and a half years after the Marmara earthquake].

OBJECTIVE: To screen the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety in adolescent students three and a half years after the Marmara earthquake in Turkey.

METHOD: Overall 334 students were selected from secondary schools located within Kocaeli province in Turkey, three and a half year after a severe earthquake. They were chosen to participate in this cross-sectional study by simple random sampling. The students were evaluated by the Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Additionally, an information form was filled out by the students.

RESULTS: Of the 334 students we found that 1.8% had very severe, 20.4% had severe, 38.3% had moderate and 30.2% had mild symptoms of PTSD and that 22.2% had probable PTSD and 30.8% had probable depression diagnoses. The frequency and intensity of re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms were considerably high on CPTSD-RI. The mean grades of anxiety measures were higher than that of the normal population. A significant correlation was determined between PTSD, depression and anxiety.

CONCLUSION: The symptoms of PTSD depression and anxiety may continue for years after natural disasters. Hence, prevention studies and the screening of children and adolescents after disasters are important for the mental health of the community.