TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing the course of posttraumatic stress following a natural disaster
T2 - Children's reactions to Hurricane Katrina
AU - Terranova, Andrew M.
AU - Boxer, Paul
AU - Morris, Amanda Sheffield
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported in part by funding from the American Psychological Foundation's Koppitz Fellowship awarded to the first author. Data were collected by the first author under the supervision of the third author while both were affiliated with the University of New Orleans. We would also like to thank the administrators, teachers and students who assisted us in this project.
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - This investigation examined psychosocial and behavioral factors involved in the course of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in youth affected by Hurricane Katrina. Participants (N = 152; 54% female; 61% Caucasian; mean age = 11.5 years) self-reported on hurricane exposure, PTSD symptoms, fear reactivity, regulatory abilities, social experiences, and coping 1.5 months following the storm, and on their PTSD symptoms again 8 months following the storm. Fear reactivity predicted more severe initial PTSD symptoms. Peer victimization added to the prediction of subsequent PTSD symptoms. Whereas regulatory abilities protected against PTSD symptoms both initially and across time, a negative coping style enhanced vulnerability to PTSD symptoms. Thus, mental health service providers should work to minimize peer victimization experiences, improve regulatory abilities, and promote alternatives to negative coping in youth following disasters.
AB - This investigation examined psychosocial and behavioral factors involved in the course of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in youth affected by Hurricane Katrina. Participants (N = 152; 54% female; 61% Caucasian; mean age = 11.5 years) self-reported on hurricane exposure, PTSD symptoms, fear reactivity, regulatory abilities, social experiences, and coping 1.5 months following the storm, and on their PTSD symptoms again 8 months following the storm. Fear reactivity predicted more severe initial PTSD symptoms. Peer victimization added to the prediction of subsequent PTSD symptoms. Whereas regulatory abilities protected against PTSD symptoms both initially and across time, a negative coping style enhanced vulnerability to PTSD symptoms. Thus, mental health service providers should work to minimize peer victimization experiences, improve regulatory abilities, and promote alternatives to negative coping in youth following disasters.
KW - Coping
KW - Disaster
KW - Emotion regulation
KW - Peer victimization
KW - Posttraumatic stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=64249092402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=64249092402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.017
DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:64249092402
VL - 30
SP - 344
EP - 355
JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
SN - 0193-3973
IS - 3
ER -