Industrial disaster and mental health of children and their parents

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

We report the findings of research conducted a year after an industrial disaster (PCB fire), which occurred on Montreal's South Shore in 1988. A total of 1,663 families were evacuated for a period of 18 days. The study evaluated 174 children between the ages of three and eleven years: 87 in the exposed group and 87 in the control sample.

METHOD:

Structured questionnaires were administered to the children and their mothers and fathers during home visits.

RESULTS:

Based on the responses of the children and the mothers, children aged 6 to 11 years displayed more overall internalized and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than did those in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS:

The study demonstrates that the mental health of fathers as well as mothers correlates with children's symptoms and that parents are able to accurately observe their child's reaction to a disaster.