Predictors of Behavior and Level of Life Satisfaction of Children and Adolescents After a Major Tornado

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Abstract

Data were collected on students in Grades 3 to 12 regarding their reactions to a major F4 tornado, which caused damage to their town in southern Minnesota. The purpose of this study was to examine some of the factors (i.e., level of exposure to the disaster, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and home relocation) that may help predict behavioral problems and life satisfaction after a major tornado. The disruption of relocating to a new home after the tornado was associated with higher levels of internalizing behavior problems for children in Grades 3 to 6 and higher levels of externalizing behavior problems for adolescents in Grades 7 to 12. Increased exposure to the tornado was significantly associated with high levels of life satisfaction. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Department

Psychology

Publication Title

Journal of Pyschological Trauma

DOI

10.1080/19322880802125902

Share

COinS