ERIC Number: EJ1001691
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0193-3973
Predicting Mothers' Reports of Children's Mental Health Three Years after Hurricane Katrina
Lowe, Sarah R.; Godoy, Leandra; Rhodes, Jean E.; Carter, Alice S.
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, v34 n1 p17-27 Jan-Feb 2013
This study explored pathways through which hurricane-related stressors affected the psychological functioning of elementary school aged children who survived Hurricane Katrina. Participants included 184 mothers from the New Orleans area who completed assessments one year pre-disaster (Time 1), and one and three years post-disaster (Time 2 and Time 3, respectively). Mothers rated their children's behavior problems at Time 3 only (n = 251 children; 53.0% male; mean age: 10.19 years, SD = 1.68 years). A path analytic model indicated that hurricane-related stressors were associated with increased maternal psychological distress and school mobility in the first post-disaster year, which were associated with higher child internalizing and externalizing symptoms three years post-disaster. Mediation analysis indicated that hurricane-related stressors were associated with child symptoms indirectly, through their impact on maternal psychological distress. Findings underscore the importance of interventions that boost maternal and child mental health and support children through post-disaster school transitions. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Behavior Problems, Mental Health, Intervention, Mother Attitudes, Prediction, Natural Disasters, Stress Variables, Elementary School Students, Correlation, Path Analysis, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Mothers, Student Mobility
Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: Louisiana

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