Types of Traumatic Events Experienced by Bereaved Adolescents Living in Children’s Homes in Kajiado County, Kenya.

By Sheba Okumu, Ph.D., Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Previous studies conducted on adolescents living in care-giver institutions demonstrated that were a highly traumatized population. The adolescents had experienced multiple traumas. They had gone through the death of parents, significant others like siblings and care givers as well as other traumatic events. The purpose of this study was to identify the types of traumatic events that bereaved adolescents living in children’s homes had experienced prior to being institunalized that could develop to Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Depression. The study took place in 8 children’s homes in Kajiado County, Kenya. The sample size was 154 bereaved adolesdents aged 12-18 years. All the respondents provided informed consent. Respondents were administered a socio demographic questionaire which captured the age, gender, level of education, and the status of their significant others among other details. University of California Loss Angeles (UCLA) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index was used to identify the types of traumatic events that the bereaved adolescents had experienced. Results of the study found that bereaved adolescents had gone through multiple traumatic events. Majority had experienced death of a close relative (92.2%), attended the funeral of a close relative (90.9%), and seen a dead body (89.6%). Some were physically abused (39.6%) and witnessed constant fights (physical abuse) (47.4%).Others had been threatened (42.9%) while some witnessed someone being killed (44.8%). In addition, a few went through painful medical procedures (31.8%) while others experienced diverse dangerous and painful experiences (26.6%) like sexual abuse (12.3%). It is therefore important that mental health workers identify the traumatic experiences that bereaved adolescents experience that make them develop PTSD and depression

Keywords: trauma, bereaved, Adolescent, children’s home, Kenya, abuse,PTSD,depression