Examining Children's Fears in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Several studies have found that youth have increased fears after exposure to disasters, although few studies have examined the effects of the Hurricane Katrina disaster among youth (Weissbecker, Sephton, Martin, & Simpson, 2008 Weissbecker, I., Sephton, S. E., Martin, M. B. and Simpson, D. M. 2008. Psychological and physiological correlates of stress in children exposed to disaster: Current research and recommendations for intervention. Children, Youth and Environments, 18: 31–70. [Google Scholar]). The authors investigated fears among a homogenous sample of children and adolescents exposed to Hurricane Katrina in two of the hardest hit areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. Fears were examined using the American Fear Survey Schedule for Children (Burnham, 1995 Burnham, J. J. 1995. Validation of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children and Adolescents (FSSC-II) in the United States, Auburn, AL: Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Auburn University. [Google Scholar], 2005 Burnham, J. J. 2005. Fears of children in the United States: A detailed examination of the American Fear Survey Schedule. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 38: 78–91. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Gender and age effects were compared among children and adolescents exposed to Hurricane Katrina (N = 245) versus a control group (N = 251) with no exposure to Hurricane Katrina. Findings suggested that the children exposed to Hurricane Katrina were significantly more fearful in general and reported more fears related to Hurricane Katrina in particular (e.g., loss of property, fear of hurricanes). However, consistent with other disaster-related studies, there were more similarities than differences in the study findings between the Hurricane Katrina sample and the control group. Recommendations for future research and clinical practice focused on fears and the psychological after effects of disasters on children and adolescents are discussed.