4 Troubled Teens Blog

About 9 percent of the children who went through Hurricane Katrina are still experiencing serious emotional disturbances as a result of their trauma, according to a new study from several universities, including Virginia Tech.

• The disturbances include symptoms of inappropriate behaviors, depression, hyperactivity, eating disorders, fears, phobias, and learning disabilities.
• The children who experienced the deaths of loved ones were the most affected.
• The authors of the study recommended continued psychological treatment for children in former hurricane disaster areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Hurricane Katrina occurred in August 2005.
  

"The effects of trauma, especially on impressionable young minds, can be long-lasting and far-reaching," said Dr. Beverly Smallwood, a psychologist. "If significant time has passed and the child or adolescent is still having problems that are disruptive to the life of the young person or the family, professional help is definitely advisable."

This study appeared in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Labels: trauma, mental_health, ptsd

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

About 30% of the survivors of a school shooting experienced psychological disorders afterwards but only half of them got professional help, according to a new study from the University of Montréal.

Professor Alain Lesage found that the 1000 survivors of the Dawson College shootings in his study had twice the incidence of posttraumatic stress syndrome, depression, alcohol dependency, and social phobia compared to the general population.

The shooting occurred on September 13, 2006, when Kimveer Gill opened fire at Dawson College, killing one person and himself, and injuring 16 others.

Dr. Lesage concluded that crisis intervention may help survivors should a similar tragedy ever occur.

Labels: schools, ptsd, trauma

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment