Stress Reaction of School-Age Children to the Bombardment by SCUD Missiles

Joseph Schwarzwald, Matisyohu Weisenberg, Mark Waysman, Zahava Solomon, Avigdor Klingman

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Stress reactions of 5th-, 7th-, and 10th-grade children (N = 492) exposed to missile attacks during the Persian Gulf War were examined a month after the war by a questionnaire that assessed level of exposure to trauma and psychological symptoms. Higher stress responses were obtained in areas hit and were influenced by proximity to sites or individuals involved in actual damage. Gender, age, and region interacted such that 5th-grade boys reported the highest stress reactions regardless of region, whereas 5th-grade girls reported the highest stress responses only in regions hit. Gender, age, and objective and subjective stress correctly identified 75% of the children as potential clinical or nonclinical candidates. The possible mediating coping responses and applications for high-risk groups are discussed.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)404-410
    Number of pages7
    JournalJournal of Abnormal Psychology
    Volume102
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Aug 1993

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Psychiatry and Mental health
    • Biological Psychiatry

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