title: Existential Anxiety Among Adolescents Exposed to Disaster: Linkages Among Level of Exposure, PTSD, and Depression Symptoms.
abstract: Exposure to natural disasters can be highly traumatic and have a detrimental effect on youth mental health by threatening the satisfaction of basic human needs and goals. Recent research in adults suggests that exposure to disasters may exacerbate existential anxiety about the meaning of life. The current study expands this investigation to adolescents, who may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of disaster. Data came from 325 adolescents (mean age = 15.05 years, SD = 1.05) residing in the Greater New Orleans area who were exposed to Hurricanes Katrina and/or Gustav. Existential anxiety concerns were highly prevalent in the sample and were associated with elevated levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (R2= .09) and depression symptoms (R2= .13). Consistent with theoretical predictions, disaster exposure levels moderated the association between facets of existential anxiety and mental health symptoms. Findings highlight the salience of existential concerns in disaster exposed youth, and provide evidence that exposure to traumatic stress may strengthen their association with mental health problems.
authors: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA. cweems@iastate.edu.
authors: Carl F
authors: CF
authors: Weems
authors: Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
authors: Justin D
authors: JD
authors: Russell
authors: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
authors: Erin L
authors: EL
authors: Neill
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
authors: Steven L
authors: SL
authors: Berman
authors: Department of Psychology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.
authors: Brandon G
authors: BG
authors: Scott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D064891:Disaster Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004190:Disasters; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055820:New Orleans / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires