Distress Reactions and Earthquake-Related Cognitions of Parents and Their Adolescent Children in a Victimized Population

To investigate distress reactions & earthquake-related cognitions of adolescents & their parents 16 months after the 1992 Erzincan, Turkey, earthquake, a parent & an adolescent child in each of 44 households responded to a questionnaire. Results indicated a high degree of similarity between parents & children in cognitions about potential earthquakes & initial affective responses to the 1992 earthquake. The majority of parents, but only a minority of children, expressed continued distress due to the disaster event: (1) worry about future quakes, (2) phobic, somatic, depressive, & irritable/hostile reactions, & (3) perceived lack of control were higher among parents than children. Results suggested that parental somatization is related to child distress. Implications for disaster management strategies & future research are discussed. 3 Tables, 24 References. Adapted from the source document.