Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism » (1st Edition)

This new book offers psychotherapists and others involved in emergency response the most comprehensive, up-to-date information available on the immediate and lasting effects of trauma on children and adolescents. Until recently, it was assumed that children do not display significant clinical reactions in the aftermath of disasters. Or, if they do, the reactions are fleeting and leave no emotional scars. Yet, as volume editors Annette M. La Greca, Wendy K. Silverberg, Eric M. Vernberg, and Michael C. Roberts demonstrate, children and adolescents do have significant reactions that can interfere with their current and future psychological adjustment. Who is most at risk, and what can be done to help?

This book reviews the research and intervention literature on a broad range of natural and man-made disasters, from floods and house-fires to acts of terrorism and war. Chapter authors document children's reactions, identifying factors that may predict or, alternatively, buffer against severe trauma responses. Descriptions of preparatory and post-disaster coping materials and interventions developed for use with children are included. In addition to setting the research agenda and paving the way for theory and model building in this evolving field, this volume has a strong practical emphasis, offering strategies for when and how to intervene, based on clinical observation and empirical evidence.

Booknews

An outgrowth of the work of the American Psychological Association's Working Group on Children and Disasters. Chapters identify research issues related to children's trauma responses to the experience of disasters. After four introductory chapters explore basic concepts and issues, 12 chapters review the literature on trauma responses to specific kinds of natural disasters, human made and technological disasters, and acts of violence (from school shootings to war). After each chapter looks at trauma responses, intervention strategies that have been developed are explored and assessed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)