Daniel Hamiel1,2,3, Leo Wolmer4,5, Lee Pardo-Aviv4, Nathaniel Laor4,6,7. 1. Donald J. Cohen & Irving B. Harris Resilience Center, Association for Children at Risk, Tel-Aviv, Israel. dhamiel@gmail.com. 2. Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Herzlyia Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel. dhamiel@gmail.com. 3. Tel-Aviv-Brüll Community Mental Health Center, Clalit Health Services, Tel-Aviv, Israel. dhamiel@gmail.com. 4. Donald J. Cohen & Irving B. Harris Resilience Center, Association for Children at Risk, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 5. Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Herzlyia Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel. 6. Departments of Psychiatry and Medical Education, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 7. Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This paper surveys the existent theoretical and research literature regarding the needs of preschool children in the context of disasters and terrorism with the aim of understanding (a) the consequences of such events for young children and (b) the main moderating variables influencing the event-consequence association to learn how to enhance their resilience. RECENT FINDINGS: Consequences include a variety of emotional, behavioral, and biological outcomes. Implications for refugee children are discussed. Main moderating variables were mother's sensitivity and mother's PTSD symptoms. Exposure to disasters and terrorism may have severe effects on the mental health and development among preschool children. Future research should explore the implications of different levels of exposure and the effects of moderating psychosocial and biological variables, including the parent-child triad, on the event-consequence relationship.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This paper surveys the existent theoretical and research literature regarding the needs of preschool children in the context of disasters and terrorism with the aim of understanding (a) the consequences of such events for young children and (b) the main moderating variables influencing the event-consequence association to learn how to enhance their resilience. RECENT FINDINGS: Consequences include a variety of emotional, behavioral, and biological outcomes. Implications for refugee children are discussed. Main moderating variables were mother's sensitivity and mother's PTSD symptoms. Exposure to disasters and terrorism may have severe effects on the mental health and development among preschool children. Future research should explore the implications of different levels of exposure and the effects of moderating psychosocial and biological variables, including the parent-child triad, on the event-consequence relationship.