Posttraumatic Stress Syndromes among Victims of the Ife/Modakeke Crisis

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the victims of the March 2000 Ile-Ife/Modakeke crisis. It also examines most of the risk factors (such as degree of exposure, age and gender) that predispose the victims to PTSD.  An initial sample of 456 male and female respondents from both communities field in a simple questionnaire that assessed the degree of exposure to trauma and self-reported PTSD symptoms.  The results indicate that a substantial proportion (19%) of the initial sample reported symptoms of such magnitude as could be diagnosed as PTSD.  Age and the degree of exposure to trauma were fund to be risks factors for PSTD in the population. The implications of these results for therapy, the provision of relief to traumatized populations and future research are highlighted and discussed.

Keywords: Posttraumatic stress syndromes, victims, Ife/Modakeke crisis