Citation

North CS, Mendoza S, Simic Z, Pfefferbaum B. J. Loss Trauma 2018; 23(4): 303-316.

Affiliation

George Lynn Cross Research Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L. Young Blvd., WP3217, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, (405) 271-5251 x47639.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15325024.2018.1443710

PMID

30745859

PMCID

PMC6368256

Abstract

Child disaster mental health research has been largely limited by investigation of one disaster at a time and inconsistent methods across different studies. This study assessed 160 survivors of 3 disasters with structured diagnostic interviews, asking about the behavioral and emotional disaster reactions their 266 children of ages 3-17. Most children had ≥1 postdisaster behavior change or disaster-related posttraumatic stress symptom. The children's postdisaster behavioral and emotional problems were associated with parental postdisaster psychopathology. The results underscore the importance of asking disaster survivors about their children's disaster reactions and considering parental disaster experiences and reactions in addressing their children's reactions.

Language: en

Keywords

children; disaster mental health; parents; psychiatric disorder; structured diagnostic interview