As a study shows, young people in the war region experienced high levels of trauma and daily stress

As a study shows, young people in the war region experienced high levels of trauma and daily stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety were more likely among youth exposed to war than among youth living outside the war-affected region in Ukraine. The unique study from the University of Turku Child Psychiatry Research Center is the largest epidemiological study using standardized measures to examine the impact of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine war on adolescent mental health.

The cross-sectional study included 2,766 adolescents living in the war-torn Donetsk region and the more peaceful Kirovograd region of Ukraine at the time of the study. The study was based on data collected from September 2016 to January 2017, more than two years after Russia's first invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

This study showed that adolescents in war zones had experienced high levels of war trauma and daily stress. “60% of young people living in war zones witnessed armed attacks, 14% were victims of violence and 30% were forced to leave their homes.”

Sanju Silwal, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Turku, Finland

Youth in the Donetsk region were more than four times more likely to have PTSD than in the Kirovograd region, just over three times more likely to have severe anxiety, and almost three times more likely to have moderate or severe depression.

The study also found increased rates of anxiety and depression among youth who lived in the non-war-affected region.

Nonviolent war trauma can impact mental health just as much as direct war violence

Increased risk of PTSD was associated not only with exposure to violence, but also with nonviolent trauma caused by war, including forced relocation and loss of social support.

"Already in 2016, most youth in the Donetsk region were still living with their intact families, did not lose family members and were not forced to leave their homes. However, the current situation is even worse, as youth across Ukraine are experiencing a massive invasion by Russia and many families are forced to flee their homes. We can expect a large number of youth to experience very high levels of psychological distress and many could develop mental disorders," says Professor Andre Sourander from the University of Turku and continues:

"During war, young people at crucial stages of their physical, emotional, social and cognitive development are exposed to atrocities, organized violence, loss of social networks and relocation. The psychological impact that the war in Ukraine will have on young people and countries that host refugees must also be aware of the need to provide them with timely and effective mental health services."

This article is part of a larger study that also examines the impact of the current war situation on the mental health of Ukrainian children and adolescents.

The study was conducted at the INVEST Research Flagship Center. INVEST is a flagship of the Academy of Finland and a joint research center of the University of Turku and the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare. The aim of INVEST is to give welfare states a new model that is fairer, better targeted at problem groups, more forward-looking and economically and socially sustainable.

Source:

University of Turku

Reference:

Osokina, O., et al. (2022) Impact of the Russian Invasion on Youth Mental Health in Ukraine. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2022.07.845.

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