Fifth of children suffer mental disorders

ONE in five schoolchildren in northern Afghanistan is likely to suffer from a psychiatric disorder, according to the first large-scale survey of children’s mental health in the country.

The Durham University-led study found day-to-day violence and stress were as much the cause of the children’s suffering as the war-related brutalities they witnessed.

The researchers say effective mental health interventions, which are holistic and not solely focused on war-related trauma, are vital in helping children and their families get well.