title: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom trajectories in Hurricane Katrina affected youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Hurricane Katrina affected youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 426 youth (51% female; 8-16 years old; mean age=11 years; 75% minorities) completed assessments at 4 time points post-disaster. Measures included Hurricane impact variables (initial loss/disruption and perceived life threat); history of family and community violence exposure, parent and peer social support, and post-disaster posttraumatic stress symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Latent class growth analysis demonstrated that there were three distinct trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms identified for this sample of youth (resilient, recovering, and chronic, respectively). Youth trajectories were associated with Hurricane-related initial loss/disruption, community violence, and peer social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that youth exposed to Hurricane Katrina have variable posttraumatic stress disorder symptom trajectories. Significant risk and protective factors were identified. Specifically, youth Hurricane and community violence exposure increased risk for a more problematic posttraumatic stress disorder symptom trajectory, while peer social support served as a protective factor for these youth. Identification of these factors suggests directions for future research as well as potential target areas for screening and intervention with disaster exposed youth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The convenience sample limits the external validity of the findings to other disaster exposed youth, and the self-report data is susceptible to response bias.
authors.affiliation: Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States. sselfbrown@gsu.edu
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Self-Brown
authors.forename: Betty S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Tia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D055820:New Orleans; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology