title: Psychological evaluations, referrals, and follow-up of adolescents after their exposure to Hurricane Hugo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is little understanding of adolescent appraisal of stress and crisis intervention for adolescents who are exposed to major stress such as that of a natural disaster.
  
  
  METHODS
  A description of the psychological evaluations, referrals, and follow-up assessments made by nurse practitioners (NPs) and a nurse psychotherapist (NPT) of adolescents (N = 507) in two South Carolina high schools who experienced Hurricane Hugo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NPs' evaluations concluded that 63 adolescents (12%) exhibited symptoms of psychological distress. The NPs referred 36 of these adolescents to high school counselors for minor distress or school-related problems and 27 for more intensive clinical evaluation by an NPT. Of the 27 adolescents who were referred to the NPT, 10 had symptoms associated with adolescent adjustment reaction, 8 showed symptoms of depression, 5 revealed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and 4 complained of serious family problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these data and the mental processes described by these adolescents, the authors propose a model and suggest adolescent appraisal of stress and crisis is a critical issue to consider when intervening with adolescents who are exposed to major stressors, including those associated with a disaster.
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pesut
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hardin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry; D000359:Aftercare; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013022:South Carolina; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000451:nursing*