Abstract
APL01 HURRICANES, BUSHFIRES, AND THE EVENTS OF 9/11/2001: THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS AND TERRORISM ON YOUTH
Annette La Greca – Australian Rotary Health International Speaker
Until recently, little was known about the psychological effects of natural disasters and acts of terrorism on children and adolescents. However, over the past 15 years, catastrophic natural disasters (such as Hurricanes Andrew, Charley, and Katrina in the USA; major bushfires in Australia) and recent terrorist events (such as the 9/11/2001 attack on World Trade Center) have led investigators to examine the effects of these potentially traumatic events on children. This presentation draws on key work conducted by La Greca and colleagues at the University of Miami and others regarding the impact of potentially traumatic events on youth. Specifically, the presentation briefly summarizes: a) the range and type of psychological reactions that have been documented in youth following natural disasters and acts of terrorism, including posttraumatic stress (PTS) reactions, b) the factors or variables that put children at risk for (or protect them from) adverse psychological reactions, c) the course and persistence of PTS reactions over time, and d) the current state of evidence-based preventive interventions to assist youth in the aftermath of natural disasters and acts of terrorism.