Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
J Affect Disord. 2011 Nov;134(1-3):59-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.06.025. Epub 2011 Jul 31.
On April 6th 2009, the town of L'Aquila, Italy, was struck by an earthquake (6.3 on the Richter scale) that lead large parts of the town to be destroyed and the death of 309 people. Significant losses in the framework of earthquakes have been reported as a major risk factor for PTSD development. Aim of this study was to investigate post-traumatic spectrum symptoms in a sample of adolescents exposed to the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake 21 months earlier, with particular attention to the impact of loss.
475 students (203 women and 272 men), attending the last year of High School in L'Aquila, were assessed by: Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR) and Impact of Event Scale (IES). The presence of full and partial PTSD was also assessed.
72 students (15.2%) reported the loss of a close friend or relative in the framework of the earthquake. Full PTSD was reported by 146 (30.7%) students and partial PTSD by 149 (31.4%) students. There was a significant difference reported in PTSD between bereaved and non bereaved subjects. Significantly higher post-traumatic symptom levels were reported by bereaved subjects.
The lack of information on the relationship with the deceased and the number of losses experienced, besides the use of self report instruments are the limitations of this study.
Our results show high rates of post-traumatic spectrum symptoms in adolescents who survived the L'Aquila earthquake. Having experienced the loss of a close friend or a relative in the framework of the earthquake seems to be related to higher PTSD rates and more severe symptomatology. These results highlight the need to carefully explore adolescents exposed to a significant loss as consequence of an earthquake.
2009 年 4 月 6 日，意大利拉奎拉镇遭受里氏 6.3 级地震袭击，导致该镇大部分地区被毁，309 人死亡。据报道，地震造成的重大损失是 PTSD 发展的一个主要风险因素。本研究旨在调查 21 个月前暴露于拉奎拉 2009 年地震的青少年中创伤后谱症状，特别关注损失的影响。
475 名（203 名女性和 272 名男性）正在拉奎拉上高中最后一年的学生通过创伤和损失谱-自我报告（TALS-SR）和事件影响量表（IES）进行评估。还评估了 PTSD 的完全和部分表现。
72 名学生（15.2%）报告在地震框架内失去了亲密的朋友或亲戚。146 名学生（30.7%）报告完全 PTSD，149 名学生（31.4%）报告部分 PTSD。在有丧亲和无丧亲的学生中，PTSD 的报告存在显著差异。丧亲的学生报告的创伤后症状水平显著较高。
除了使用自我报告工具外，本研究的局限性还在于缺乏与死者关系和经历的损失数量的信息。
我们的研究结果显示，在经历拉奎拉地震的青少年中，创伤后谱症状的发生率很高。在地震框架内经历亲密朋友或亲人的死亡似乎与更高的 PTSD 率和更严重的症状有关。这些结果强调了需要仔细探讨因地震而遭受重大损失的青少年。
