Children's response to exposure to traumatic events.

Includes bibliographical references

Spiral bound

The research on children's response to exposure to traumatic events clearly documents that children who experience traumatic events are at risk for developing both short- and long-term negative emotional reactions. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of trauma and may need to have specific interventions to assist them in their recovery. Typically children look to their parents for assurance and assistance when faced with painful situations. If a child is looking to a parent or parents for assistance, how does the parent's own experience of and reaction to the trauma influence the child's reactions? This question is of paramount concern because parents are often the primary caregivers in supporting their children to adjust to traumatic events. Since there is a likely relationship between a parents' and childrens' response to a traumatic situation, how parents attempt to cope with this situation may also impact how they are able to respond to the needs of their children. This study was designed to more definitively answer if there is a relationship between the level of parent and child stress following a wide scale traumatic event. It also sought to explore if parental coping reactions were associated with levels of stress experienced by children and their parents. Finally, the study sought to address the issue of parental coping styles as they relate to a willingness to seek trauma mitigation services for their children