Avigdor Klingman

Coping of School-Age Children in the Sealed Room during Scud Missile Bombardment and Postwar Stress Reactions.

Childrens coping behaviors in the sealed room (a shelter against chemical and biological weapons) during scud missile attacks in the Persian Gulf war were examined in relation to postwar stress reactions. Three weeks after the war, 5th, 7th, and 10th graders (N = 492) completed questionnaires assessing coping behaviors and emotional responses in the sealed room, as well as current stress reactions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite an underlying feeling of tension, the dominant emotional stance in the sealed room was one of detached optimism. Common forms of coping involved information seeking, checking, and wishful thinking. Emotion-focused coping such as avoidance and distraction strategies was associated with less postwar stress reactions than persistence at direct problem-focused actions once the minimal actions available had been undertaken. Fifth graders were found to use less emotion-focused and more problem-focused coping strategies than were the 7th and 10th graders.

Situational exposure and personal loss in children's acute and chronic stress reactions to a school bus disaster

Questionnaire data were obtained on seventh grade children a week after a catastrophic school bus accident, and 9 months later. Both acute and chronic stress reactions were more related to prior friendship with victims than to exposure to accident-related stressors. In fact, the effect of differential exposure on stress reactions in this particular accident was found to be nil, when the effect of prior friendship was controlled. The incidence of moderate and severe stress reactions was high in the initial acute phase and decreased markedly by 9 months. The professional help received and interest in future help were related to personal loss and to the extent of stress reactions both after 1 week and 9 months. Implications for disaster intervention were drawn.

School-Based Intervention Following a Disaster

Disaster events involving schoolchildren and necessitating school-based intervention take many forms: major school-bus collisions (Klingman, 1987; Tuckman, 1973); a school bus kidnapping (Terr, 1979); lighting strike (Dollinger, 1985); tornadoes (e.g., Perry & Perry, 1959); earthquakes (e.g., Blaufarb & Levine, 1972); murder and community terror (e.g., Klingman & Ben Eli, 1981; Landgarten, 1981; Pynoos, Nader, Fredrick, Gonda, & Stuber, 1987); a skywalk accident (Blom, 1986); the homicide of a teacher (Danto, 1978); the death or suicide of a classmate (e.g., Coder, Nelson, & Aylward, 1991; Mauk & Weber, 1991); industrial (e.g., nuclear) accidents (e.g., Collins, Baum, & Singer, 1983; Frederick, 1985); war (Milgram, 1982; Raviv & Klingman, 1983); war-related traumas (e.g., Sack, Angel, Kinzie, & Rath, 1986); and sexual assault (Ruch & Chandler, 1982; Underwood & Fiedler, 1983). The emphasis in crisis intervention has been placed almost exclusively on the recovery of the primary victims, the disaster survivors. Significant others in conjoint relationship with the victim or victims, however, comprise a high-risk group also in need of attention; often, they must be helped to become aware of their own recovery process.

Cross-cultural and familial differences between Arab and Jewish adolescents in test anxiety

Abstract This study examined differences between Israeli-Arab and Israeli-Jewish adolescents in perception of family environment and its relation to test anxiety and trait anxiety. Data were collected from 759 10th and 11th graders (ages 16–17), living in a city in northern Israel, of whom 427 were Arabs (220 boys, 207 girls) and 332 were Jews (150 boys, 182 girls). Participants completed the Family Environment Scale, the Test Anxiety Questionnaire and the Trait Anxiety Inventory. Findings indicated that Arab adolescents were more test anxious and perceived their family environment as more authoritarian than their Jewish counterparts. In addition, test and trait anxiety were negatively correlated with a supportive family environment and positively correlated with an authoritarian one.

Children and War

Although many people hope for world peace, war continues to be a part of daily life. Over 20 wars are currently occurring throughout the world (Macksoud, 1991). As a result, millions of children are faced with the experience of war. Exposure to traumatic events, such as the death of a loved one, displacement, or witnessing violence are common occurrences, as are children’s direct military participation and the difficulties of family or community members who are or have been involved in military action.

ISRAELI CHILDREN'S REACTIONS TO THE ASSASSINATION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

The assassination of Israels Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a political opponent caused disbelief, shock, anxiety, and deep grief in the Israeli society. This study reports on 229 4th-grade childrens responses to the traumatic event 2 days after it occurred. In the present study, a semi-projective measure, the Bar-Ilan Picture Test for Children (R. Itskovitz & H. Strauss, 1982, 1986), was adapted to the situation to assess their affective reactions, social support resources, and coping on the second day after the murder. Overall, the results reveal that their reactions reflect the general adult population affective response to the assassination and resemble the responses of children found in epidemiological studies following trauma and disaster. The role played by the school as social support system is also discussed.

Stress responses and adaptation of israeli school-age children evacuated from homes during massive missile attacks

Abstract This field study was aimed at shedding light on the magnitude of childrens specific trauma related responses in the context of ongoing massive missile attacks that took place along Israels northern border resulting in their forced evacuation. During the second week of the 17-day massive attacks, the respondents, 604 adolescents from grades 7 to 11, completed a three-part questionnaire assessing (a) post-traumatic stress disorder-related symptoms, (b) general stress responses, and (c) help-seeking/support received. They also completed the Self-control Schedule (Rosenbaum, 1980). Only 6.3% of the respondents met all three PTSD related symptom criteria. An additional 51.2% met some of the PTSD-related criteria. Despite the underlying general stress response of crisis, vulnerability, and physical symptoms, sense of coping appeared dominant; these students adjusted well, under the circumstances. Although the respondents were separated from their parents at the time of the crisis, parents emerged as the most approached and most valued source of support, followed by friends. Self-control was found to be associated with higher intensity of stress response.

The Contribution of School Mental Health Services to Community-Wide Emergency Reorganization and Management During the 1991 Gulf War

The Persian Gulf war subjected the civilian population of Israel to 18 Scud-missile attacks over a period of six weeks. The purpose of this report is to outline the principles guiding community-wide emergency intervention and to examine the preventive proactive measures for children and parents undertaken by the school psychological services. In particular, the reorganization of the services to respond to the situation-specific conditions and the implementation of the intervention principles (outreach, immediacy, proximity, community, expectancy and continuity) are presented.

The relationship of proximity to tension areas and size of settlement to fear levels of Israeli children

A childrens version of the Israeli Fear Survey Schedule was administered to 171 children in the central region of Israel and to 320 children along the tense Northern border. Proximity to the border and size of settlement were found to be factors in the fear levels observed. Beyond the finding that children closer to tension areas had higher fear levels, those from small settlements had higher fear levels than those from medium or large settlements. It was proposed that the variable of population size be viewed as mediated by a sense of social isolation by the subjects in small towns.

Dimensions of the shadow: children of six nations respond to the nuclear threat

Abstract This study was designed to assess reaction to the nuclear threat on the part of students in six countries using a common instrument, the Nuclear Threat Index (NTI). The NTI is designed to report on three aspects of reactions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. The study showed that children in each of the six nations reported accurate, realistic knowledge about the effects of nuclear war and that many children reported experiencing negative emotional reactions when they thought about nuclear war. Few students in any country have discussed nuclear war often, engaged often in preventative or preparatory behaviors, or experienced upset stomachs or nightmares. Among the age and sex differences found that support earlier studies were the following: Younger students reported higher levels of general negative affect, more concern about powerlessness and security, more affective behavior, more preparation/prevention behavior, less cognitive behavior, and less school and church behavior than did older ...