Adolescent Exposure to Recurrent Terrorism in Israel: Posttraumatic Distress and Functional Impairment
Ruth Pat-Horenczyk PhD,
Osnat Peled MA,
Ayala Daie MA,
Robert Abramovitz MD,
Daniel Brom PhD,
Claude M. Chemtob PhD,
Corresponding Author
Ruth Pat-Horenczyk PhD
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P. O. Box 3900, Jerusalem, Israel 91035. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorOsnat Peled MA
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorAyala Daie MA
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorRobert Abramovitz MD
Jewish Board for Family and Children's Services, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Brom PhD
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorClaude M. Chemtob PhD
Jewish Board for Family and Children's Services, New York, NY, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Search for more papers by this authorRuth Pat-Horenczyk PhD,
Osnat Peled MA,
Ayala Daie MA,
Robert Abramovitz MD,
Daniel Brom PhD,
Claude M. Chemtob PhD,
Corresponding Author
Ruth Pat-Horenczyk PhD
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P. O. Box 3900, Jerusalem, Israel 91035. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorOsnat Peled MA
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorAyala Daie MA
The Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorRobert Abramovitz MD
Jewish Board for Family and Children's Services, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Brom PhD
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
Search for more papers by this authorClaude M. Chemtob PhD
Jewish Board for Family and Children's Services, New York, NY, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
This study examines the impact of exposure to ongoing terrorism on 695 Israeli high school students. Exposure was measured using a questionnaire developed for the security situation in Israel. Posttraumatic symptoms were measured using the UCLA PTSD Index for DSM-IV—Adolescent Version (N. Rodriguez, A. Steinberg, & R. S. Pynoos, 1999), functional impairment and somatic complaints were assessed using items derived from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (C. P. Lucas et al., 2001), and depression was measured with the Brief Beck Depression Inventory (A. T. Beck & R. W. Beck, 1972). According to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), the prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder was 7.6%. Girls reported greater severity of posttraumatic symptoms, whereas boys exhibited greater functional impairment in social and family domains. School-based screening appears to be an effective means of identifying adolescents who have been exposed to terror and are experiencing posttraumatic stress symptomatology and psychosocial impairment.
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