Psychosocial Issues for Children and Adolescents in Disasters. Second Edition.

Major natural and human-caused disasters deeply affect children, and they have a special vulnerability to such events. The importance of providing crisis counseling recovery assistance within the context of their special world cannot be over emphasized. The information in this manual provides both theory and guidance to individuals concerned with the mental health needs of children who experience major disasters. It is designed as a supplement to the Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters. At the time of the disaster, children are often left to the care of unfamiliar persons and provided limited explanations about what occurred. Specifics of how the many aspects of a disaster affect children are explained, and particularly how their reactions differ from adults. Chapters include: (1) "The World of Childhood and the Developing Child"; (2) "Reactions of Children to Disasters"; (3) "Helping the Child and Family"; and (4) "Guidelines for Caregivers, Mental Health and Human Service Workers." Appendix A is Agency Assistance in Disasters and Appendix B is Web Sites for additional resources. (Contains 30 references.) (JDM)