Behavioral Manifestations of Adolescent School Relocation and Trauma

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine how students aged 12 to 18 reacted to joining with a neighboring school district after their high school was destroyed by a tornado. Relocated students were compared to a control group of students randomly selected from the school district they were joining. Seven measures were used to determine levels of adjustment. Results indicate that relocated students had significantly lower grades and that their parents identified them as having various behavior difficulties as the results of relocation.