Exposure to Trauma and Separation Anxiety in Children After the WTC attack

Bibliographic Data

ID15029162
AuthorsChristina W Hoven (0000-0003-1274-2936, corresponding author), Cristiane S Duarte (0000-0001-7214-4255), Ping Wu (0000-0002-0788-6268), Elizabeth A Erickson (0009-0003-9034-7058), George J Musa (0000-0002-5752-8215), Donald J Mandell
Year2004
Volume8
Issue4
Pages172-183
Publication date2004-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueApplied Developmental Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1088-8691 • E-ISSN: 1532-480X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1207/s1532480xads0804_1
OpenAlexW2025053767
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited37

The impact of exposure to the World Trade Center attack on children presenting separation anxiety disorder (SAD) 6 months after the attack was studied in a representative sample of New York City public school students (N = 8,236). Probable SAD occurred in 12.3% of the sample and was more frequent in girls, young children, and children who previously had been exposed to traumatic situations. Probable SAD was highly comorbid with probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Direct exposure to the attack or to television coverage of the attack was associated with probable SAD or number of SAD symptoms, whereas proximity to Ground Zero or family member exposure were not. The identified pattern of associations existed independently of a child having probable PTSD. SAD should be considered among the conditions likely to be found in children after a large-scale disaster

Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Separation (statistics · Suicide prevention · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Computer Science · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies