Psychological Impact of Terrorism on Children and Families in the United States

Summary

This article reviews the literature on the psychological impact of terrorism on children and families in the United States. It includes studies of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City and the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, as well as the September 11 attacks. These studies explore the impact of various forms and degrees of exposure to terrorism on children across the development spectrum and on the relationships between parental and child reactions. The article concludes with a framework for future research on children's adaptation following mass trauma.

Key Words:

• Disaster mental health
• disasters
• posttraumatic stress
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• September 11
• terrorism
• trauma