4 Troubled Teens Blog

Study Identifies Significant Post-Katrina Emotional Disturbances

Hurricane Katrina, the storm that ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005, has left more than physical destruction in its wake. A new study has found serious emotional disturbances among children who were caught in the storm.
"The study, published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, showed the estimated prevalence of serious emotional disturbances (SED) among residents was 14.9 percent. Of those, 9.3 percent of youths were believed to have SED that was directly attributable to Hurricane Katrina." [Source: Virginia Tech News]
Youth who lost loved ones had the strongest emotional disturbances, followed by those who were exposed to physical adversity. Russell Jones, professor of psychology in the College of Science at Virginia Tech, said the study points to a substantial need for mental health treatment resources in hurricane-affected areas.

Labels: trauma, emotional_issues, katrina

Posted By: Aspen/CRC