Children’s Disaster Reactions: the Influence of Exposure and Personal Characteristics

Abstract

This paper reviews children's reactions to disasters and the personal and situational factors that influence their reactions. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic stress reactions are the most commonly studied outcomes, though other conditions also occur including anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and substance use. More recently, traumatic grief and posttraumatic growth have been explored. New research has delineated trajectories of children's posttraumatic stress reactions and offered insight into the long-term consequences of their disaster experiences. Risk factors for adverse outcomes include pre-disaster vulnerabilities, perception of threat, and loss and life disruptions post-disaster. Areas in need of additional research include studies on the timing and course of depression and anxiety post-event and their interactions with other disorders, disaster-related functional and cognitive impairment, positive outcomes, and coping.

Addressing the Needs of Children With Disabilities Experiencing Disaster or Terrorism

“…Empirical research on children with disabilities exposed to disaster or terrorism is extremely limited and much work remains to be done in this area. First, while most children are psychologically resilient and do not develop psychopathology following disaster or terrorism [36], we know little about the resiliency of children with disabilities under the same circumstances. Second, the mental health of individuals with disabilities post-disaster/terrorism has been substantially overlooked by both researchers and clinicians [39].…”

“…Cognitive factors also influence children's reactions to disasters and terrorism and these reactions similarly can vary given developmental levels or cognitive abilities [35]. Preevent emotional status and prior trauma also affect post-disaster/terrorism reactions and recovery in children [20,36] and several studies report the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children is strongly related to pre-disaster general mental health [37,38]. For children with pre-existing mental illness, it can be hypothesized that PTSD post-disaster/ terrorism will be more likely, especially when PTSD symptoms are shared with symptoms of the pre-existing mental illness.…”

Long-term health of children following the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption: a prospective cohort study

“…Previous findings have indicated an association between PTSD and other psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression (Fan et al, 2011; Goenjian et al, 2011; Lai et al, 2015, 2013), higher risks of behavioural problems, substance abuse and sleep disturbance (Pfefferbaum et al, 2015; Usami et al, 2013). This further highlights the importance of studying more diverse symptoms, particularly psychosomatic symptoms.…”

“…Our findings also indicate that children whose homes were damaged were more likely to experience anxiety or worries and depressed mood compared to children whose homes were not damaged. Other studies have found disaster experience (both psychological and environmental) to be an important factor in determining a child´s post-disaster mental health (Pfefferbaum et al, 2015; Silverman, 2002; Vernberg, Silverman, La Greca, & Prinstein, 1996). …”

“…Depression and anxiety have also been reported among children post-disaster, and are often comorbid with PTSD (La Greca, Silverman, Lai, & Jaccard, 2010; Lai, La Greca, Auslander, & Short, 2013; Swenson et al, 1996). Other potential post-disaster psychological sequelae have received less attention, such as children’s behaviour problems, substance abuse and sleep disturbances (Pfefferbaum, Jacobs, Griffin, & Houston, 2015). The effect of disaster exposure on behavioural problems has led to inconsistent results.…”