Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 1 of 1
Improvisational international research: seeking to help children in Ukrainian orphanages sooner than later
- Authors:
- NORMAN Judith, BATHORI-TARTSI Zita
- Journal article citation:
- Families in Society, 91(4), October 2010, pp.421-425.
- Publisher:
- The Alliance for Children and Families
Throughout the past decade’s tumultuous sociopolitical transitions in Ukraine, the number of orphaned children has increased dramatically, with the number nearly doubling between 1991 and 1999. In Ukraine, orphanages are a common means of providing care for children without parents. While much data exist demonstrating the negative impact of institutional living on child development and functioning in adult life, more limited data reflects the mental status of children while institutionalised. This study aimed to obtain preliminary data regarding the nature and acuity of psychiatric symptoms in an institutionalised child population. The instrument Conners’ Teachers Rating Scales-Revised (CTRS-R) was administered to a group of 78 children aged 10-14 who had been in orphanages since the age of 4-5, and the results compared to a comparison group of 80 public school children. The results showed that the mean scores of the children in orphanages were significantly higher on every CTRS-R subscale except perfectionism, with the results being particularly high for the anxious-shy subscale. Ascertaining the mental health needs of children in orphanages would inform practitioners and policymakers regarding programmatic interventions needed to mitigate social and emotional challenges in this population. Strategies could then be developed to increase social and emotional skills required for adjustment and adaptation into the larger community upon leaving institutional life.