In this paper, we review the factors that impact the mental health of children and youth, highlight the magnitude of the mental health problem based on data from selected countries, emphasise the influence that culture has on the development of children and youth, and delineate several strategies and programmes proven to be effective when working…

Children throughout the world are exposed to traumatic events such as sexual or physical abuse, severe accidents, cancer or other life threatening illness, natural or man-made disasters, war, terrorism, the sudden death of a parent or close friend or relative, among other things. Recently, natural disasters have caused property damage and loss of…

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects a significant portion of women and has serious negative short- and long-term consequences for the woman, infant, and family. This article highlights the feasibility and acceptability of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-G), a manualized approach to PPD treatment, with a high risk and underserved sample of…

The authors explored individual and family adjustment processes among parents (n = 30) and children (n = 55) who were displaced to Colorado after Hurricane Katrina. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 23 families, this article offers an inductive model of displaced family adjustment. Four stages of family adjustment are presented in the model: (a)…

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for children or adolescents to be exposed to traumatic events. Experiences such as sexual or physical abuse, severe accidents, cancer or other life threatening illness, natural or man-made disasters, or the sudden death of a relative or peer can all result in maladaptive responses. As all children are in…

This paper proposes an analytical description of the impact of violence and natural disasters on schoolchildren. It attempts to explore the present state of the art in psychosocial aspects of education and the curriculum in humanitarian settings. This is carried out through a compilation and a brief annotated bibliography of existing literature…

Between 1998 and 2003, conflict, violent crime, and a severe economic downturn pushed the Solomon Islands state to the brink of failure, exacerbating the problems of an already struggling education sector. Most schools on Guadalcanal were seriously disrupted; some were burned down or vandalized, others closed as teachers and students fled…

Background: "Hurricane Katrina" devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast in August 2005. Intrusive re-experiencing is a common posttraumatic stress symptom. However, young children with limited introspection skills might have difficulties identifying their intrusive thoughts. Method: A sample of 165 5- to 9-year-old children were surveyed about their…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of coping knowledge for emergency preparedness in Korean elementary school students. A school-based coping education program was provided seven times to 271 fourth- and fifth-grade students in two urban schools by researchers with the school nurses. The Process Model of Stress and Coping and…

Youth traumatized by natural disasters report high levels of posttraumatic stress such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, and depression. Research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapies are promising interventions for symptom reduction; however, few cognitive behavioral treatments have been systematically…

This article reviews the existing theory, research, policy, and practice of disaster mental health and the role of counseling psychology in post-disaster and catastrophic situations, all from a social justice perspective. Specifically, we discuss the phases and stages, social ecology, and individual reactions to disasters. A case study is…

It is clear that exposure to traumatic events is not uncommon in childhood and adolescence and psychologists working in schools should have some training in meeting the needs of this segment of the population. This manuscript summarizes the incidence of trauma in children worldwide and then discusses interventions for trauma (Trauma-Focused…

This article discusses post-disaster group counseling and group supervision using a social justice orientation for working with post-disaster survivors from underserved populations. The Disaster Cross-Cultural Counseling model is a culturally responsive group counseling model that infuses social justice into post-disaster group counseling and…

In this study, we explored predictors of community college re-enrollment after Hurricane Katrina among a sample of low-income women (N = 221). It was predicted that participants' pre-hurricane educational optimism would predict community college re-enrollment a year after the hurricane. The influence of various demographic and additional resources…

Objective: We investigated the influence of hurricane exposure, stressors occurring during the hurricane and recovery period, and social support on children's persistent posttraumatic stress (PTS). Method: Using a 2-wave, prospective design, we assessed 384 children (54% girls; mean age = 8.74 years) 9 months posthurricane, and we reassessed 245…