Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan

Introduction The present aimed to examine the mental health conditions of children, ages 7-11 years, living in conditions of war and conflict conditions in two districts of a Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. Objectives The study surveyed teachers of 617 primary school children (mean age 8.9, SD 1.2...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: N. Osmanli, A. Babayev, I. Rustamov, K. Munir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2021-04-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016709/type/journal_article
_version_ 1797617513430777856
author N. Osmanli
A. Babayev
I. Rustamov
K. Munir
author_facet N. Osmanli
A. Babayev
I. Rustamov
K. Munir
author_sort N. Osmanli
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The present aimed to examine the mental health conditions of children, ages 7-11 years, living in conditions of war and conflict conditions in two districts of a Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. Objectives The study surveyed teachers of 617 primary school children (mean age 8.9, SD 1.24; 50.7% female) across nine schools in Agdam and Karabakh districts. Methods The children were evaluated with the previously validated Azerbaijani version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Teacher Form. The total difficulty and five subscale scores (emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior) were assessed. Results About a third of children (32.7%) had abnormal total scores, and a fifth (21.4%) were in borderline range. The SDQ subscale scores included emotional problems (19.4%); conduct problems (20.3%), hyperactivity/inattention (12.2%), peer relationship problems (31.1%), and pro-social behavior difficulties (13.1%). Boys had higher level of difficulties than females (p<.01) with a negative correlation of children’s school performance with maternal education. Conclusions The findings of the study show that more than half of the children living in the war zone in Azerbaijan have significant mental health problems. The psychological effects of the war environments have a profund effect on child development and education and need to be revisited under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These include the provision of implicit supports in terms of their emotional, behavioral, psychosocial development and education of children and protection of children from wars, conflicts, and persecution. Disclosure No significant relationships.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T07:57:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ce80c4e30be547fe86a402c9f1d8a81a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0924-9338
1778-3585
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T07:57:10Z
publishDate 2021-04-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series European Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-ce80c4e30be547fe86a402c9f1d8a81a2023-11-17T05:05:38ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S628S62810.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1670Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijanN. Osmanli0A. Babayev1I. Rustamov2K. Munir3Psychological Counseling, Nefes Mental Health Academy, Baku, AzerbaijanPsychology, Khazar University, Baku, AzerbaijanPsychiatry, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, AzerbaijanPsychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America Introduction The present aimed to examine the mental health conditions of children, ages 7-11 years, living in conditions of war and conflict conditions in two districts of a Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. Objectives The study surveyed teachers of 617 primary school children (mean age 8.9, SD 1.24; 50.7% female) across nine schools in Agdam and Karabakh districts. Methods The children were evaluated with the previously validated Azerbaijani version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Teacher Form. The total difficulty and five subscale scores (emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior) were assessed. Results About a third of children (32.7%) had abnormal total scores, and a fifth (21.4%) were in borderline range. The SDQ subscale scores included emotional problems (19.4%); conduct problems (20.3%), hyperactivity/inattention (12.2%), peer relationship problems (31.1%), and pro-social behavior difficulties (13.1%). Boys had higher level of difficulties than females (p<.01) with a negative correlation of children’s school performance with maternal education. Conclusions The findings of the study show that more than half of the children living in the war zone in Azerbaijan have significant mental health problems. The psychological effects of the war environments have a profund effect on child development and education and need to be revisited under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These include the provision of implicit supports in terms of their emotional, behavioral, psychosocial development and education of children and protection of children from wars, conflicts, and persecution. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016709/type/journal_articleEmotional and behavioral problemschild mental healthNagorno-Karabakh conflict Azerbaijan
spellingShingle N. Osmanli
A. Babayev
I. Rustamov
K. Munir
Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
European Psychiatry
Emotional and behavioral problems
child mental health
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Azerbaijan
title Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
title_full Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
title_fullStr Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
title_full_unstemmed Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
title_short Emotional and behavioral problems of 7-11 year old children in war-torn nagorno – karabakh region in azerbaijan
title_sort emotional and behavioral problems of 7 11 year old children in war torn nagorno karabakh region in azerbaijan
topic Emotional and behavioral problems
child mental health
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Azerbaijan
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016709/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT nosmanli emotionalandbehavioralproblemsof711yearoldchildreninwartornnagornokarabakhregioninazerbaijan
AT ababayev emotionalandbehavioralproblemsof711yearoldchildreninwartornnagornokarabakhregioninazerbaijan
AT irustamov emotionalandbehavioralproblemsof711yearoldchildreninwartornnagornokarabakhregioninazerbaijan
AT kmunir emotionalandbehavioralproblemsof711yearoldchildreninwartornnagornokarabakhregioninazerbaijan