Tornadoes, Children, and Posttraumatic Stress: Distress Levels, Attributions, and Coping in Disaster Exposed and Non-exposed Youth

Of the children who survive a disaster, only a small amount will come through the experience entirely unscathed. The majority of the children will show negative consequences, if only for a short amount of time. But for some, the effects of the disaster will continue to adversely impact their daily functioning for an extended period of time. This impact can be seen in symptoms such as increased worry or anxiety, social withdrawal, and difficulties in concentration. This book details two research studies designed to add to the literature concerning the effects of disasters on children. Both studies examined the roles that re-exposure to environmental cues, exposure to disaster-related media, attributions and coping style, and other factors, such as demographic variables, play in maintaining level of distress. The first study examined these factors in children one year to 18 months after a tornado, while the second compared disaster exposed and non-exposed children at six months and one year after the trauma. Primary findings include the role that attributions play in long-term distress and the high level of reported distress across the samples.