@article{ref1,
title="Children's predisaster functioning as a predictor of posttraumatic stress following Hurricane Andrew",
journal="Journal of consulting and clinical psychology",
year="1998",
author="La Greca, A. M. and Silverman, Wendy K. and Wasserstein, S. B.",
volume="66",
number="6",
pages="883-892",
abstract="This study examined (a) children's predisaster behavioral and academic functioning as a predictor of posttraumatic stress (PTS) following Hurricane Andrew and (b) whether children who were exposed to the disaster would display a worsening of prior functioning. Fifteen months before the disaster, 92 4th through 6th graders provided self-reports of anxiety; peers and teachers rated behavior problems (anxiety, inattention, and conduct) and academic skills. Measures were repeated 3 months postdisaster; children also reported PTS symptoms and hurricane-related experiences (i.e., exposure). PTS symptoms were again assessed 7 months postdisaster. At 3 months postdisaster, children's exposure to the disaster, as well as predisaster ratings of anxiety, inattention, and academic skills, predicted PTS symptoms. By 7 months, only exposure, African American ethnicity, and predisaster anxiety predicted PTS. Prior anxiety levels also worsened as a result of exposure to the disaster. The findings have implications for identifying and treating children at risk for stress reactions following a catastrophic disaster.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-006X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}