Post-traumatic Symptoms Among Ukrainian Refugee Minors and their Caregivers: A Descriptive Screening Study in Polish...

The ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine has led to the large-scale displacement of civilians, many of whom have sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Poland. To assess the occurrence of post-traumatic stress (PTS) and other psychosocial symptoms among Ukrainian refugee children, adolescents, and adults, a cross-sectional screening study was conducted in refugee camps in Krakow between August and October 2022. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Data collection employed validated tools, including the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS), the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC, Youth-PSC), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Ukrainian-Polish Questionnaire (pl. Ukraińsko-Polski Kwestionariusz, UPK) for the Analysis of Development and Current Difficulties of Children and Adolescents. The analyzed cohort consisted of 64 active participants, including 11 children aged 13-17 and 53 adults, of whom 31 also completed questionnaires in their role as caregivers. Overall, 131 anonymous questionnaires were completed. The study reveals psychological distress among refugees, with adolescents reporting the highest levels of PTS symptoms (63.64% self-reported above the cut-off). Caregivers noted PTS symptoms in 25% of children aged 3-6 and 15.78% of those aged 7-17. The Y-PSC identified psychosocial issues in 45% of children. Using the UPK questionnaire, parents primarily reported behavioral concerns, but despite these hardships, caregivers also highlighted children's strengths, such as empathy and creativity. The study underscores the profound psychological toll of war on young refugees and highlights the need for trauma-informed interventions to address their unique challenges.