The effects of a series of volcanic eruptions on emotional and behavioural functioning in children with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether children with asthma experienced disruptions in emotional and behavioural functioning following a series of volcanic eruptions.


METHODS
Multitrait, multimethod assessment was carried out with children living in the volcanic area. Self reports, teacher reports, and parent reports were collected on 118 children and addressed issues related to psychiatric disruptions resulting from the eruptions.


RESULTS
Asthma was reported by 30% of the sample and this figure compares favourably with previous findings with other New Zealand samples. These asthmatic children were compared with a group of nonasthmatic children on a range of psychiatric symptoms following the volcanic eruptions. Asthmatic children reported, and were observed by parents and teachers, to manifest greater levels of eruption related distress when compared to a group of nonasthmatic children. Children with asthma were found to have significantly higher symptom scores on several indices including those related to eruption-related general distress and context-specific problems (eg, upset at home, upset when eruptions were discussed). Additionally, these children perceived their parents to be significantly more upset than the parents themselves reported. It is important to note that asthmatic children, while clearly more distressed, did not as a group evidence clinical levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with asthma were more psychologically vulnerable to the volcanic eruptions than children without asthma. These findings have implications for the behavioural management of asthma in children. Discussion integrates current findings with other recent data in highlighting the potential in supplementing traditional asthma management techniques.
Ronan
K R
KR
Massey University, Palmerston North.
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018707:Volcanic Eruptions / Q000009:adverse effects*