Mental health problems of students after school shooting
Keywords:
depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, school shootingAbstract
Objective: To explore the prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among students after the school shooting incidence.
Methods: Total of 178 students in the same year as the classroom where the incident took place (grade 7) were assessed for mental health problems 5 months after the incidence, using the children’s revised impact of event scale (CRIES-13) and the Thai version of the patient health questionnaire for adolescents (PHQ-A). Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage). Associations between mental health problems and personal factors were assessed by using chi-square and odds ratio.
Results: The mean age of participants was 13 years. Percentages of male and female participants were approximately equal (46.6% and 53.4%, respectively). Of all participants, 22.5% were in the same classroom as the shooter and the victim, 16.9% saw the shooting, whereas 64% did not see the shooting but heard gunshot and screaming. Approximately 27.0% were at risk of PTSD (CRIES-13 ≥ 25), 10.1% were at risk of depression (PHQ-A ≥ 10), and 6.2% were at risks of both conditions. Those who were at risk of depression, compared to those who were not, were 5.2 times more likely to have risk of PTSD (95% CI = 1.9 - 14.4). PTSD risk was not significantly associated with any of personal factors, while depression risk was related to having past traumatic experiences (OR = 4.7; 95% CI = 1.7 - 13.2) and closeness to the victim (OR = 2.9; 95% CI = 1.1 - 7.9).
Conclusion: Psychological effects, specifically risks of PTSD and depression, were found among students 5 months after the school shooting. It is recommended that all students close to the incidence should receive screening, psychological first aids, and long-term follow-up.
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