Mass traumasMass trauma’s emotional toll can disrupt children’s sense of competence
Traumatic events can have a profound effect on communities. Whether it is a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado, the aftermath can have lasting effects, especially on children. How children respond in the wake of mass traumatic events is related to their perceptions of competence – or how they view their ability to control a situation. An overwhelming challenge, such as a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, can disrupt the development of that sense of well-being.
How children respond in the wake of mass traumatic events is related to their perceptions of competence – or how they view their ability to control a situation, said Carl Weems, professor and chair of human development and family studies at Iowa State University. An overwhelming challenge, such as a natural disaster, can disrupt the development of that sense of well-being.
In a paper published by the journal Applied Developmental Science, Weems and his colleagues evaluated perceptions of competence and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in children and teens exposed to hurricanes Katrina and Gustav and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. They found that children with higher levels of competence were overall more resilient and had fewer PTSD symptoms.
IAState says that researchers found, however, that competence and well-being declined for older youth, specifically between the ages of 8 to 12, following the oil spill. Weems says the findings do not explain why this is the case. He and his colleagues suspect older youth had a greater awareness, compared to younger children, of the oil spill’s impact on their family and community, which affected their well-being.
The damage from Hurricane Katrina was extensive and felt by everyone, regardless of age, said Weems, who lived in New Orleans at the time. Researchers characterized Hurricane Katrina as a traumatic event because it posed a direct threat to people’s lives. While the oil spill was devastating, it was different. Not as many lives were at risk and entire neighborhoods were not leveled as a result.
“The oil spill stress involved more family economic hardship. The impact was more subtle than Katrina,” Weems said. “That’s why we think we only saw an impact from the oil spill on older children because they understood what was happening to their family.”
In the paper, researchers explained that limited awareness of long-term consequences may have made it easier for younger children to rebound from the effect of the oil spill.
Differences based on gender
Age was not the only factor to influence PTSD symptoms. In the study, girls were more likely to have higher rates of PTSD symptoms following disasters. Weems says this highlights the importance of interventions to promote competence and well-being among girls.
