Abstract

Background: The common neurotic or emotional responses to stress associated with adolescents are affective symptoms such as irritability, the liability of mood, and anxiety symptoms particularly related to social and environmental situations. Social withdrawal school refusal may present for the first time during early adolescence as a manifestation of inner feelings of anxiety and depression. Aims of study: 1. To determine the prevalence rate of anxiety and depression among adolescent students attending two secondary schools in Baghdad  2.           To assess the traumatic events in these students that were exposed to it in the last seven years after the 2003 war. Method: A sample of 108 students from two secondary schools (third intermediate classes) in Baghdad was included in the study and as follows: AL-Bashair for girls and Palestine for boys, their ages ranged between 14 – 16 years old, the data were collected during the period from 21-12-2009 to 24-12-2009. To identify the traumatic events, especially in the last seven years from 2003 to 2009, and to determine the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and depression and, these tools were: 1. Modified War Trauma Questionnaire. (WTQ) 2. The Spence Children Anxiety Scale. (SCAS) 3. Birleson’s Depression Self Rating Scale for Children. (DSRS-C) Results: The students were exposed to a wide range of traumatic events.   38.9% of the sample had more than 11 traumatic events during the last seven years (from 2003-2009), while those who were exposed to one or two traumatic events were (5.6%) only. The overall prevalence of depression was 38.0%. (For males, 24.6%, female 55.3%) . While that for the generalized anxiety disorder was 49.1%. (Male 37.7%, female 63.8%). Conclusion: The direct and indirect exposure to violent traumas resulted from the 2003 war increased the risk of depression and anxiety among school children. The number of traumatic events were high among adolescent students, and the rate of anxiety and depression was found to be at a higher ratio among girls compared to boys.