Resource Loss and Relocation: A Follow-Up Study of Adolescents Two Years After Hurricane Katrina

The long-term psychological impact of Hurricane Katrina was assessed among students ( N = 636) at two high schools in southeastern Louisiana. Displaced students from the greater New Orleans area were compared with nondisplaced students on several factors. Displaced students reported higher levels of general psychological distress (GPD) and posttraumatic stress (PTS). Age, resource loss, relocation time, relocation distance, self-esteem, optimism, storm exposure, and gender were then assessed in separate regression models predicting GPD and PTS. Both hierarchical regression models were significantly predictive. Self-esteem, relocation distance, optimism, resource loss, and storm exposure were significant predictors of GPD. Resource loss, relocation time, storm exposure, and self-esteem were significant predictors of PTS. As expected, gender did not make significant contributions to either model.