ERIC Number: EJ939099
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Oct
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0192-513X
EISSN: N/A
The Impact of Child-Related Stressors on the Psychological Functioning of Lower-Income Mothers after Hurricane Katrina
Lowe, Sarah R.; Chan, Christian S.; Rhodes, Jean E.
Journal of Family Issues, v32 n10 p1303-1324 Oct 2011
In the present study, the authors examined the role of child-related stressors in the psychological adjustment of lower-income, primarily unmarried and African American, mothers (N = 386). All participants lived in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and about a third were also exposed to Hurricane Rita (30.3%, n = 117). Lacking knowledge of a child's safety during the hurricanes was a significant predictor of heightened postdisaster psychological distress and posttraumatic stress, even after controlling for demographic variables, predisaster psychological distress, evacuation timing, and bereavement. From interviews with a subset of the participants (n = 57), we found that mothers consistently put their own needs behind those of their children. The authors recommend policies that promptly reunite mothers with missing children and support lower-income mothers in caring for their children during natural disasters and the aftermath. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Caring, Natural Disasters, Mothers, Low Income, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Adolescents, Children, One Parent Family, African Americans, Child Safety, Interviews, Parent Child Relationship, Role, Stress Variables, Predictor Variables
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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