Abstract
This study examined (a) children's predisaster behavioral and academic functioning as a predictor of posttraumatic stress (PTS) following Hurricane Andrew and (b) whether children who were exposed to the disaster would display a worsening of prior functioning. Fifteen months before the disaster,
92 4th through 6th graders provided self-reports of anxiety; peers and teachers rated behavior problems (anxiety,
inattention,
and conduct) and academic skills. Measures were repeated 3 months postdisaster; children also reported PTS symptoms and hurricane-related experiences (i.e.,
exposure). PTS symptoms were again assessed 7 months postdisaster. At 3 months postdisaster,
children's exposure to the disaster,
as well as predisaster ratings of anxiety,
inattention,
and academic skills,
predicted PTS symptoms. By 7 months,
only exposure,
African American ethnicity,
and predisaster anxiety predicted PTS. Prior anxiety levels also worsened as a result of exposure to the disaster. The findings have implications for identifying and treating children at risk for stress reactions following a catastrophic disaster.
