Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism

Abstract

Children, Youth and Environments Vol. 18 No. 1 (2008) ISSN: 1546-2250 Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism La Greca, Annette and Silverman, Wendy K. and Vernberg, Eric M. (2002). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association; 446 pages. ISBN 1557989141. Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism, edited by Annette La Greca, Wendy Silverman, Eric Vernberg, and Michael Roberts, is the ideal text for anyone who wishes to acquaint themselves with the research literature on the psychological effects of disasters and terrorism on children and youth. In the introduction, the editors draw attention to the commonly made assumption that young people’s reactions to disastrous events are transient, and that children are resilient to any lasting, deleterious effects in the aftermath of these events. Unfortunately, the chapters in the book provide clear evidence to the contrary through an extensive review of empirical research on children’s and adolescents’ negative reactions to disaster. Throughout the text, chapters provide insight into young people’s reactions to disaster and terrorism and review the factors associated with poor psychological adjustment following these events. Fortunately, the book also highlights the factors that may serve to protect children and youth from poor emotional and behavioral outcomes. For instance, chapters provide data on the utility of post-disaster intervention efforts as well as provide suggestions for implementing such interventions in young populations. The text is divided into five sections. The first section, entitled “Concepts and Key Issues,” is devoted to the broad conceptual and practical issues involved in working with children and adolescents who have experienced disaster and consists of four chapters. The initial chapter in this section defines disasters, reviews the general types of responses shown by young people with respect to the time elapsed since the disaster, and discusses factors and correlates influencing post-disaster reactions. This review includes definitions of the types of events that constitute disasters and emphasizes the variety of psychological responses reported in disaster-exposed 512 children and youth. The next chapter is devoted to assessment and reviews measures used for assessing exposure and emotional distress symptoms in young people. The next chapter in the section provides an overview of intervention strategies and points out the need for additional research on intervention programs in this unique population. The closing chapter of this section describes the current research regarding the potential impact of cultural differences on post-disaster functioning. The chapter emphasizes the lack of empirical data on the role of ethnicity and cultural contexts on disaster reactions among children and youth. The next three sections are devoted to detailed reviews of young people’s psychological adjustment in the wake of specific traumatic events: Part 2 consists of four chapters devoted to “Natural Disasters” (i.e., hurricanes and earthquakes, wilderness area and wildfire disasters, floods, and residential fires); Part 3 (four chapters) focuses on “Man-made and Technological Disasters” (i.e., toxic spills and nuclear disasters, mass transportation disasters, dam breaks, and motor vehicle accidents); and Part 4 (four chapters) covers “Acts of Violence” (i.e., exposure to shootings and hostage taking, terrorism, war, and community violence). In each of the chapters, the reasons why the events are considered traumatic and the impact they have been found to have on young peoples’ mental health, the family unit, and the community are explored. Because the text was published in 2002, there are no chapters devoted to the 9/11 terrorist attacks or Hurricane Katrina. However, from our own experience (Weems et al. 2007a, b) we can confidently say the text provides a very useful guide for researchers and clinicians conducting research and providing intervention postHurricane Katrina. Highlights of the chapters on specific types of disasters include detailed accounts of the implementation of interventions in various post-disaster environments. Descriptions of the interventions’ design (e.g., the target population, the qualifications of individuals screening children and youth for intervention, measures used to assess posttraumatic stress and associated symptoms, and the role and qualifications of individuals treating young people) provide clear advice for how to execute assessment and intervention. While case 513 studies illustrate the practical details necessary for using the information in novel contexts. Overall, sections 2 through 4 of the book help...