PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT OF PARENTS TO DISASTER STRIKING CHILDREN

The main aim of this study was to investigate the psychological and social adjustment of parents whose adolescent children had been involved in a disaster. Mediating factors such as whether the child developed post traumatic stress disorder, dysfunctional attitudes, other intervening life-events, and social support are also considered. Women whose children had been involved in the disaster presented with more symptomatology and social adjustment problems than the women who had suffered no major negative life event. However, they presented with less problems than the widows. This effect was greater in the subgroup whose children had developed traumatic stress disorder after the disaster. The results also showed that dysfunctional attitudes, previous psychopathology and intervening life-events may increase the risk of psychological and social adjustment problems. Risk appears to be decreased if the child does not develop PTSD and social support is present. The final chapter summarises the results of the study and discusses possible implications for future research.