Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies
An International Interdisciplinary Journal for Research, Policy and Care
Volume 9, Issue 2, 2014
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rvch20/current#.Uzg2bFcWNdc
Indicative evaluation of psychological disturbance amongst young children affected by the January 2010 Haiti earthquake, in Port-au-Prince
Yoram Mouchenikab*, Alexandra Marty-Chevreuilc, Caroline Marquerd, Nephtalie Eva Josephe, Jean Weber Ducassee, Casseus Ryswicke, Alex Dejeane, Rogenette Georgese, Judith Blancf, Daniel Derivoisg, Thierry Baubeth & Marie Rose Moroi
DOI: 10.1080/17450128.2014.901589
Published online: 24 Mar 2014
Abstract
The article presents a research for the indicative evaluation of psychological disturbance amongst young children following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. We used a new psychological evaluation questionnaire for young children, the PSYCa 3–6. It is a hetero-evaluation tool and is completed on site by the interviewer. The questionnaire was conducted in Port-au-Prince. The average age of the 166 children taking part in the study was 58 months. Psychological disturbance score appears to be high amongst our child population in Port-au-Prince. This corroborates other research into the psychological condition of natural disaster victims. A higher score of psychological disturbance was observed amongst boys and in the youngest group of children. This first application of the PSYCa 3–6, in a natural disaster area, highlights its capacity to identify children in great difficulties, the acceptability of the questionnaire and its appropriateness for use in humanitarian crisis areas.