Resiliency in the Face of Trauma - Study Examines Impact of 9/11 on Children

Dr. Kenneth J. Doka

The New York Times recently reported on a study completed by researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services in New York on the effects of 9/11 on 116 children who had witnessed the attacks. These children ranged in age from one to five years old at the time of the attacks. The study found that the children who had still experienced residual trauma from the events were those who had experienced some prior trauma, even a minor one as a dog bite, in their lives.

The Times piece rightly emphasized the significance of this finding – that early exposure to trauma makes one more sensitive to subsequent events. Yet, there is an understated complement to this article that affirms the natural resiliency of children. It is amazing to note that even after witnessing horrific acts such as people jumping off buildings, most of the children were able to go on with their lives with surprisingly little effect.

This resilience is supported when parents are open to communicating with the child. When a child experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, parents do well to allow the child opportunities to talk about the experience, ask questions, and express their range of reactions. Parents can model the ways that they respond to such events and share their own coping strengths. It is important to be honest yet reassuring. In the aftermath of 9/11, I was part of a panel interviewed on a radio show. We were asked how would we respond to a child’s question, "Will this happen again?" One psychiatrist suggested we might reassure the child, answering that such an event would never again occur. My response was different – emphasizing to the child all the ways we were seeking to prevent such a reoccurrence. Honest communication supports and respects the strength and resilience of children.

Dr. Kenneth J. Doka

Note from HFA: This April, HFA is hosting a national teleconference focusing on the experience of grieving children and adolescents. The program and accompanying book will focus on the most current theories and practices in this area, combining academic research with hands-on ideas for use in hospice support groups and other settings.