Debby E. Doughty

Television Exposure in Children after a Terrorist Incident

Abstract This study examined the influence of bomb-related television viewing in the context of physical and emotional exposure on posttraumatic stress symptoms—intrusion, avoidance, and arousal—in middle school students following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Over 2,000 middle school students in Oklahoma City were surveyed 7 weeks after the incident. The primary outcome measures were the total posttraumatic stress symptom score and symptom cluster scores at the time of assessment. Bomb-related television viewing in the aftermath of the disaster was extensive. Both emotional and television exposure were associated with post-traumatic stress at 7 weeks. Among children with no physical or emotional exposure, the degree of television exposure was directly related to posttraumatic stress symptomatology. These findings suggest that television viewing in the aftermath of a disaster may make a small contribution to subsequent posttraumatic stress symptomatology in children or that increased television viewing may be a sign of current distress and that it should be monitored. Future research should examine further whether early symptoms predict increased television viewing and/or whether television viewing predicts subsequent symptoms.

Media Exposure in Children One Hundred Miles From a Terrorist Bombing

This study assessed indirect interpersonal exposure to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, broadcast and print media exposure in the aftermath of the explosion, emotional reactions to media coverage, and posttraumatic stress reactions in children distant from the explosion. A survey was administered to 88 sixth-grade students in the public middle school in a community 100 miles from Oklahoma City 2 years after the bombing. Many children reported indirect interpersonal exposure and most reported bomb-related media exposure. Print media exposure was more strongly associated with enduring posttraumatic stress than broadcast exposure. Indirect interpersonal exposure and the interaction of media exposure with emotional reaction to media coverage in the aftermath of the explosion each predicted ongoing posttraumatic stress. The results suggest that children may have lingering reactions to highly publicized terrorist incidents. Concern about the influence of television viewing has long been proclaimed. This study implicates print media exposure as well. Media exposure to terrorist incidents, therefore, should be monitored and those working with children should assess exposure and stress even in children not directly impacted.

Genetic Influence Helps Explain Variation in Human Fertility: Evidence From Recent Behavioral and Molecular Genetic Studies

To search for genetic influence on human fertility differentials appears inconsistent with past empirical research and prior interpretations of Fishers fundamental theorem of natural selection. We discuss Fishers theorem and give reasons why genetic influences may indeed account for individual differences in human fertility. We review recent empirical studies showing genetic influence on variance in fertility outcomes and precursors to fertility. Further, some of the genetic variance underlying fertility outcomes overlaps with that underlying fertility precursors. Findings from different cultures, different times, different levels of data, and both behavioral and molecular genetic designs lead to the same conclusion: Fertility differentials are genetically influenced, and at least part of the influence derives from behavioral precursors that are under volitional control, which are themselves genetically mediated.

Increased Alcohol Use in a Treatment Sample of Oklahoma City Bombing Victims

Abstract Research examining alcohol use in disaster victims has yielded conflicting results. This study of 43 acknowledged alcohol users, taken from a nonrandom volunteer sample of Oklahoma City bombing victims receiving support services, revealed relationships between increased alcohol use and a number of variables—injury, retrospectively reported initial reaction to the explosion, grief, and posttraumatic stress symptomatology. The findings suggest that if alcohol use was motivated by an attempt to alleviate symptoms, it was not effective, as evidenced by an association between increased alcohol use and functional impairment. Increased alcohol consumption may present a problem in disaster victims months after exposure to trauma. Therefore, the use of alcohol should be routinely assessed in those who remain symptomatic over time.

Exposure and peritraumatic response as predictors of posttraumatic stress in children following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing

Studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between exposure and posttraumatic stress, but ones subjective appraisal of danger and threat at the time of exposure may be a better predictor of posttraumatic stress than more objective measures of exposure. We examined the role of peritraumatic response in posttraumatic stress reactions in over 2,000 middle school children 7 weeks after the 1995 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, bombing. While many children reported hearing and feeling the blast and knowing direct victims, most were in school at the time of the explosion and therefore were not in direct physical proximity to the incident. Physical, interpersonal, and television exposure accounted for 12% of the total variance in our measure of posttraumatic stress when peritraumatic response was ignored. Peritraumatic response and television exposure accounted for 25% of the total variance, and physical and interpersonal exposure were not significant in this context. These findings suggest the importance of peritraumatic response in childrens reactions to terrorism. These carly responses can be used to help determine which children may experience difficulty over time.

Traumatic grief in a convenience sample of victims seeking support services after a terrorist incident

This report describes traumatic grief in 40 individuals who suffered losses in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. We administered a self-report instrument 6 months after the bombing to assess demographics; exposure; injury; retrospective report of initial emotional and physiological reaction; and current posttraumatic stress symptoms, grief, safety concerns, and functioning. A strong association was found between posttraumatic stress symptoms and grief. The relationship between grief and difficulty functioning was stronger at higher levels of posttraumatic stress than at lower levels. The results support the construct of traumatic grief and have important implications for the treatment of people exposed to large-scale traumatic events and for the training of mental health professionals.

Posttraumatic Stress and Functional Impairment in Kenyan Children Following the 1998 American Embassy Bombing

This study examined a convenience sample of 562 Nairobi school children exposed to the 1998 bombing of the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Posttraumatic stress reactions to the bombing were related to posttraumatic stress reactions to other trauma and to peritraumatic reaction. Self-reported functional impairment was minimal.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Fertility Expectations and Outcomes Using NLSY Kinship Data

There has been recent interest in the research literature concerning the potential for genetic influences on fertility-related behaviors. Fisher’s (1930) well-known theorem suggesting that the heritability of fertility-linked behaviors must eventually disappear (e.g., Plomin, DeFries, & McClearn, 1990) runs counter to a number of empirical findings concerning sexuality and fertility behaviors. Miller has recently developed a framework (Miller et al, 1999b) that casts fertility outcomes into the bigger context of fertility desires and expectations. We draw on this framework to investigate the role of broad genetic and environmental influences on a number of fertility attitudes, and link those to fertility outcomes. Our data come from recently defined kinship structure from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and thus provide a large national sample in which to investigate these issues. Our findings suggest that both fertility expectations and desires have a heritable component, and virtually no shared environmental component. However, expectations have a systematically higher level of genetic influence than outcomes. These findings are both readily interpretable within previous frameworks, and also can be used to general future research agendas.

Case finding and mental health services for children in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing.

The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured hundreds more. Children were a major focus of concern in the mental health response. Most services for them were delivered in the Oklahoma City Public Schools where approximately 40,000 students were enrolled at the time of the explosion. Middle and high school students in the Oklahoma City Public Schools completed a clinical assessment 7 weeks after the explosion. The responses of 2720 students were analyzed to explore predictors of posttraumatic stress symptomatology, functioning, and treatment contact. Posttraumatic stress symptomatology was associated with initial reaction to the incident and to bomb-related television exposure. Functional difficulty was associated with initial reaction and posttraumatic stress symptomatology. Only 5% of the students surveyed had received counseling. There was no relationship between posttraumatic stress symptomatology and counseling contact for students with the highest levels of posttraumatic stress. Implications for school-based services are discussed.

Effects of prior trauma and age on posttraumatic stress symptoms in Asian and Middle Eastern immigrants after terrorism in the community

AbstractForty-five adult Asian and Middle Eastern immigrants living in Oklahoma City at the time of the 1995 bombing were surveyed 1