The Moderating Effects of Maternal Psychopathology on Children's Adjustment Post–Hurricane Katrina

Abstract

This study investigated the role of maternal psychopathology in predicting children's psychological distress in a disaster-exposed sample. Participants consisted of 260 children (ages 8–16) recruited from public schools and their mothers. These families were displaced from New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Assessment took place 3 to 7 months postdisaster. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that global maternal psychological distress and maternal posttraumatic stress disorder moderated the relation between child hurricane exposure and mother-reported child internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

This research was partially supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health (RMH-078148A). We express extreme gratitude to all of the schools and families that participated in our study.

Notes

Note: HURTE = Hurricane-Related Traumatic Experiences; GSI = Global Severity Index; PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder.

^a Code as follows: male = 1; female = 0.

^b Code as follows: Caucasian = 1; African American = 2; Hispanic = 3; Asian = 4; Native American = 5; Pacific Islander = 6; Other = 7.

^c Code as follows: Sixth grade or less = 1; junior high school = 2; partial high school = 3; high school graduate = 4; partial college = 5; standard college or university = 6; graduate professional degree = 7.

∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .01.

Note:ΔR ² = .00 for CPTSD. ΔR ² = .00 for CINT. ΔR ² = .05 (ps < .001) for MINT. ΔR ² = .02 (ps < .05) for MEXT. CPTSD = child self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder; CINT = child self-reported internalizing symptoms; MINT = mother-reported child internalizing symptoms; MEXT = mother-reported child externalizing symptoms; Ed = education; HURTE = Hurricane-Related Traumatic Experiences.

∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .01. ∗∗∗p < .001.

Note: ΔR ² = .00 for CPTSD. ΔR ² = .00 for CINT. ΔR ² = .05 (ps < .01) for MINT. ΔR ² = .03 (ps < .05) for MEXT. CPTSD = child self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder; CINT = child self-reported internalizing symptoms; MINT = mother-reported child internalizing symptoms; MEXT = mother-reported child externalizing symptoms; Ed = education; HURTE = Hurricane-Related Traumatic Experiences.

∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .01. ∗∗∗p < .001.