Evaluation of Individual and Group Grief and Trauma Interventions for Children Post Disaster

Abstract

This study evaluated a community-based grief and trauma intervention for children conducted postdisaster. Fifty six children (7 to 12 years old) who reported moderate to severe levels of symptoms of posttraumatic stress were randomly assigned to group or individual treatment. Treatment consisted of a manualized 10-session grief- and trauma-focused intervention and a parent meeting. Measures of disaster-related exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, traumatic grief, and distress were administered at preintervention, postintervention, and 3 weeks postintervention. There was a significant decrease in all outcome measures over time, and there were no differences in outcomes between children who participated in group intervention and those who participated in individual intervention. Results suggest that this intervention using either treatment modality may be effective for addressing childhood grief and trauma postdisaster.

This evaluation project was funded by the Institute of Mental Hygiene, New Orleans, Louisiana. Treatment was conducted under the auspices of the Children's Bureau of New Orleans and in partnership with the Algiers Charter School Association and the Greater New Orleans After School Partnership.

We thank all of Children's Bureau social workers, elementary school staff, and after-school staff who worked diligently to coordinate and provide mental health services to children in the early months after the storm. A special acknowledgment of appreciation to Laura Garside, GSW, who kept the project organized amid such devastation and chaos.

Notes

Note: N = 56.

^a Information about annual household income and employment was available for 75% of the participants.

Note: N = 45. UCLA–PTSD = UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Index for DSM–IV.

^a Data were not available for eight children because of not completing the traumatic grief assessment measures at all three time periods.