Identifier

etd-04062008-202353

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most disastrous natural occurrences to ever hit the United States. It is known that increased adjustment difficulties have been found among children following a disaster. Further, community violence exposure has been linked to several areas of negative psychological functioning including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This study examines the predictive value of level of exposure to the hurricane, level of community violence exposure, and gender, in examining PTSD symptomatology following Hurricane Katrina. Participants were 230 mother-child dyads recruited from various public and private elementary and middle schools within Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, and East Baton Rouge Parish 4-7 months post Hurricane Katrina. Children completed the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index, the Hurricane-Related Traumatic Experiences, and the Screen for Adolescent Violence Exposure, in addition to other measures utilized in a larger grant funded research project. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that hurricane exposure and community violence exposure each were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms in children following the hurricane. Gender did not serve as a predictor of PTSD symptoms. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Date

2008

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Mary L Kelley

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.889

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