Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Parentally Bereaved Children and Adolescents

Objective: To compare parentally bereaved children with a disaster comparison group and a nontrauma control group on measures of emotional adjustment. Method: Children and adolescents who had lost a parent (n = 39), had experienced a tornado disaster (n = 69), or were coping with an ongoing social or academic stressor (n = 118) completed measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Risk factors for symptoms among the bereaved children also were evaluated. Results: Parentally bereaved children reported significantly more PTSD symptoms than the disaster and nontrauma control groups. Among the bereaved children, girls, younger children, and children living with a surviving parent who scored high on a measure of posttraumatic stress reported more symptoms. Conclusion: Children and adolescents who have lost a parent could be vulnerable to PTSD symptoms.