Adolescents' Mental Health Outcomes According to Different Types of Exposure to Ongoing Terror Attacks

• NCJ Number: 227402
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 850-862
• Author(s): Orna Braun-Lewensohn; Smadar Celestin-Westreich; Leon-Patrice Celestin; Dominique Verte; Ingrid Ponjaert-Kristoffersen
• Date Published: July 2009
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the impact of several types of exposure to terrorist attacks on adolescents' psychological outcomes in the context of ongoing terrorist threats.

Abstract

The results indicate that "objective" events are not the most important factors that predict psychological problems in adolescents faced with persistent exposure to terror. This type of exposure refers to direct physical exposure and exposure through a relationship with a victim of a terror event. It is referred to as "objective," because this type of experience cannot be controlled by the individual and is independently observable by third parties. Instead, subjective experiences of exposure to terror, namely, thoughts and feelings of endangerment during the events, are the most significant predictors of adolescents' mental health outcomes. Although these findings indicate the relevance of investigating coping responses to terror, subjective exposure precedes coping responses, since it refers to the initial reciprocal effects between cognitive control and emotional regulation upon being confronted with terror events. Although media exposure has been documented as a variable that increases post-traumatic symptoms among youth in the wake of single terrorist occurrences, such as the Oklahoma bombing and the attacks of September 11, it apparently has been relatively ignored in the context of ongoing terror. Similarly, "near-miss" and media exposure seem to exert limited effects on adolescents' psychological outcomes. Since these exposure components have remained understudied, however, further investigation of their effects is required. The study sample consisted of 913 Israeli adolescents ages 12-18 years old. Participants attended four schools at different locations in Israel. Students completed self-report questionnaires during regular classes in September 2003. Data were obtained on students' demographics; exposure to terror (both objective and subjective); "near-miss" experiences; media exposure; and mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress, behavioral and emotional problems, and psychological and psychiatric problems). 3 tables and 38 references