Abstract
Daily emotional and attentional factors may be associated with the development of posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in youth. This study obtained information about the varied daily psychological and emotional experiences of 224 urban African American sixth grade students in low-income communities in Chicago. Data were collected using the Experience Sampling Method. PTS symptoms predicted daily reports of aggression, anxiety, and difficulty paying attention as well as the variability in daily reports of aggression, anxiety, difficulty paying attention, support, and safety among youth. The effects of the PTS subscales (numbing, avoidance, dissociation, intrusion, and hyperarousal) on the daily psychological and emotional experiences of the youth were also examined.
Acknowledgment
This study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health grant #57938.