Aug. 12, 2008 A school-based intervention for children in
communities affected by political violence in Indonesia reduced
post-traumatic stress symptoms and helped maintain hope, but did
not reduce traumatic stress-related symptoms, depressive
symptoms, anxiety symptoms or functional impairment, according
to a new study. "Mental health and psychosocial interventions
for children and adolescents globally have received little
research attention, even though mental health problems are one
of the most significant contributors to the global burden of
disease," the authors write. "Little is known about the efficacy
of mental health interventions for children exposed to armed
conflicts in low- and middle-income settings. Childhood mental
health problems are difficult to address in situations of
ongoing poverty and political instability." Wietse A. Tol, M.A.,
of HealthNet TPO, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam,
the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a study to assess the
efficacy of a school-based inter