POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS AMONG STUDENTS AFTER ARMY PUBLIC SCHOOL PESHAWAR ATTACK 2014

Abstract

Objective: To find out Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among students of Peshawar after the Terrorist Attack on Army
Public School Peshawar during 2014.
Material & Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study and carried out in Peshawar over a period of 3 months
from March to May 2015. Study population included all students from all schools and colleges of Peshawar. Sample
size was 300 students. Post traumatic Stress Disorder checklist was used for assessing the Cognitive dysfunctions
among students. Data was collected through questionnaire i.e. post traumatic stress disorder checklist and analyzed.
Results: Out of 300 students, 187 (62.33%) were males and 113 (37.66%) were females. Students above intermediate
were 229 and below were 71 students. Among the respondents, about 20 % students had extreme response to
complaint “Repeated disturbing memories, thoughts or images of a stressful experience from the past incident of APS
Peshawar”. About 17% reacted extremely to “Feeling distant or cut off from other people”. About18% of the students
extremely responded to “Trouble falling asleep”. About 12% responded extremely to feeling irritable or having angry
outbursts and having difficulty in concentration. About 18% students felt emotionally numb, 16% lost interest in things
they used to enjoy before and 18% students avoided activities as these reminded of the previous stressful experience.
Conclusion: Results showed a remarkable amount of Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among students in Peshawar.
Psychological Intervention is necessary to students as the events of war, terrorism & disasters lead to the PTSD
in students. Presence of PTSD is because of many incidents of bomb blasting in schools, colleges, mosques, markets
etc. In addition Peshawar is also affected in the past by natural disasters like earthquakes, floods etc.