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PTSD in Children of Hurricane Katrina
What do you believe needs to occur in a counseling approach…
There is much evidence that children who survived the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster are particularly vulnerable to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center surveyed nearly 7500 children (age 9-18) between 2005 and 2008 from the most heavily devastated parts of the Gulf region. Their findings indicated extreme PTSD due to displacement, separation from family, pets and loved ones and belongings, and the witnessing of the destruction of homes and neighborhoods (Kronenberg, 2000). In some cases children even reported seeing family members or friends die or suffer serious injury resulting in a great deal of depression.
According to definitions formulated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), it should come as no surprise that many of these youth suffer from PTSD given the stressors they endured (2000). Children's typical symptoms after natural disasters include fear, depression, self-blame, guilt, loss of interest in school and other activities, regressive behavior, sleep and appetite disturbance, night terrors, aggressiveness, poor concentration, and separation...
Similarly, manifestations of PTSD can include recurrent and intrusive thoughts and trauma-specific reenactments. Intense psychological distress may result in avoidance of certain stimuli and memory triggers related to the trauma, and feelings of detachment and estrangement from others (Kronenberg et al., 2000). For many children, this has led to increases in behavioral issues, including substance abuse, anger problems and paranoia (Alvarez, 2010).
Certain criteria exasperate PTSD symptoms in this group such as being younger in age, being female, having previous loss or trauma, and/or having actually lost a loved one as a result of the hurricane (Kronenberg, et al., 2010). Counseling approaches should be diverse, with attention given to acclimating to life beyond the tragedy. Particular attention should be given to the aforementioned groups due to their high propensity for PTSD. Research points to the importance of schools in the recovery process which can serve as a primary factor in a child's return to normalcy and routine (Alvarez, 2010). This includes the way schools welcome and integrate displaced children (i.e., grouping them together with psychological support to aid in their adjustment). Such tactics allow them to share their experiences.…
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Alvarez, D. (2010). "I Had To Teach Hard": Traumatic Conditions and Teachers in Post-Katrina Classrooms. The High School Journal 94(1), 28-39. The University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved August 16, 2012, from Project MUSE database.
Kronenberg, M., Hansel, T., Brennan, A., Osofsky, H., Osofsky, J., and Lawrason, B. (2010). Children of Katrina: Lessons Learned About Postdisaster Symptoms and Recovery Patterns. Child Development, 81(4), 124-153. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01465.x.
Speier, A.H. (2000). Disaster Relief and Crisis Counseling. Psychosocial Issues for Children and Adolescents in Disasters. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health
Hurricane Katrina Disaster Evaluation Review the Final Paper instructions in Week 5. Develop a thesis statement and outline, and identify at least five sources you intend to use for the Final Paper. Develop a thesis statement. The thesis statement will be the point or claim you argue or prove in your paper. 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina Disaster Evaluation 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina Disaster Evaluation Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks should never be
Traumatic events can shape a person�s life and cause untold stress and pain for long periods of time. Natural disasters occur and can affect a person�s life in terms of losing their home, causing long-term injuries, and creating a sense of instability. Betty has experienced a powerful tornado that ravaged her home and led to her husband breaking his leg. This essay will focus on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
For children, going to school, even a new school, provided a sense of order. It also gave parents time to plan for the future. Wealthier parents were able to enroll their children in private schools. Poorer families faced a greater struggle. In Texas, officials reported enrolling19,000 children displaced by the storm (Katrowitz and Breslau, 2005). They were able to waive normal rules, such as proving residency or providing immunization records.
psychological impact of Katrina & Lusitania Hurricane Katrina which took place in the year 2005 is said to be one of the worst storm disaster that took place in the history of the United States. It led to loss of many lives, and it was unavoidable. The winds both from Louisiana to Alabama caused the level of water to arise at about 80% of the New Orleans and neighborhoods. The
This is mostly experienced in case where the trauma caused psychological disorders, phobias, and depression, and this may go as far as inhibiting the maturation process of the child and even interacting with the emerging personality. According to Newman (1976) three factors can be used to predict the psychological effects of disasters on children, these are; the child's developmental level, the child's perception about the family's response to the
, 2006). Soliciting client's self-report may be another helpful practice (Landry et al., 2009). To deal with both attrition and ethnicity factors in conjunction with an adolescent or school-aged client, the counselor may be well advised to consider the fact that the client may better benefit from a school counselor's intervention rather than from her own. Studies (for instance Cummings, 2009) have shown that "schools may be the best setting in