Children's and Adolescents' Response to the Prospect of Nuclear War: A Review

A review of research examining the response of children and adolescents to the potential of nuclear war is presented. The dearth of research studying young children is discussed and the large body of research focusing on adolescents is reviewed, utilising the following major categories: (a) the early studies of the response to nuclear war; (b) knowledge of nuclear developments; (c) effect of knowledge on fear about nuclear war; (d) fears/worries about the threat of nuclear war; and (e) the effect of fear about nuclear war. Finally, the few studies which have examined the response to the threat of nuclear war within the family context are reviewed. In the final section of the paper, a critique of the existing research is presented, and recommendations for future research are offered, including methodological concerns and a theoretical approach to understanding the response to the threat of nuclear war.