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Recorded presentation

Arturo Cervantes, MD, MPH, DPH, Anahuac University Institute of Public Health, Anahuac University, Mexico City - North, Edificio CAIDE, Piso 6°, Av Lomas Anahuac s/n, Huixquilucan, Estado de México, 52786, Mexico, (52+55) 56270210, acervantes@anahuac.mx, Robert Vermeiren, MD, PhD, University Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Middelheim Hospital, University of Antwerp, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium, Andres Martin, MD, MPH, Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, 230 South Frontage Road, P.O. Box 207900, New Haven, CT 06520-7900, and Vladislav Ruchkin, MD, PhD, Centre for Violence prevention, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska Institute, Centre for Violence prevention, Stockholm, Sweden.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to violence and psychopathology among middle and high school students in Mexico City. Material and Methods: Subjects were children and adolescents taking part in an ongoing multi-site research project aimed at detecting risk factors for psychopathology. Adolescents were assigned to groups according to exposure to kidnapping and to degree of worrying about being victimized. Mean values for PTSD, Anxiety and Depression scales were calculated using ANOVA. Multiple Logistic Regression was used to analyze risk factors for self or family victimization. Results: 37% of respondents had been robbed (n=780), 78% had family members robbed and 85% personally knew someone robbed. 16% had family members kidnapped and 65% personally knew someone who had been kidnapped. High School students and those born in Mexico were at higher risk than Middle School and foreign born students for kidnapping and robbery events. Ranking of primary concerns for all sample placed kidnapping and being shot or stabbed as the foremost concern among adolescents. Mean values of PTSD and Depression scales were significantly higher among adolescents who had someone in family victimized by kidnapping and reported being worried about victimization. Adolescents who did not have family members kidnapped but reported worrying about victimization had highest mean Anxiety levels. Conclusions: Results suggest that exposure and fear to violence (kidnapping and robbery) is associated with psychopathology among adolescents. There is need to increase treatment of mental health aspects among youth given the high prevalence of exposure.

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