Mass Trauma: Disasters, Terrorism, and War

Authors

Allan Chriman, Duke University Medical Center,Follow
Joseph Dougherty, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine

Date of this Version

2014

Citation

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Volume 23, Issue 2, April 2014, Pages 257-279

Comments

This article is a U.S. government work, and is not subject to copyright in the United States.

Abstract

• Mass-exposure events, such as disaster, terrorism, and war, have unique impacts on children.
• Effective conceptual approaches must balance risk and resilience from a developmental perspective.
• Models of mass trauma effects and exposures include exposure dose, cumulative risk, determinants, and moderators.
• Children are a special needs population particularly vulnerable to the impact of mass trauma due to a lack of experience, skills, and resources to independently meet their mental and behavioral health needs.
• The National Commission on Children and Disaster’s Report recommends a greater focus on the disaster mental and behavioral health needs of children throughout planning, training, exercises, and response and recovery effort.
• Higher-intensity exposures lead to worse outcomes.
• Parental and social support are critical protective factors as moderators of negative outcomes in children exposed to mass trauma.