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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 5/2011

01-05-2011 | Original Paper

Growing up in the shadow of Chornobyl: adolescents’ risk perceptions and mental health

Authors: Evelyn J. Bromet, Lin T. Guey, David P. Taormina, Gabrielle A. Carlson, Johan M. Havenaar, Roman Kotov, Semyon F. Gluzman

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 5/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite long-term research on risk perceptions of adults after ecological disasters, little is known about the legacy for the generation exposed to toxic elements as infants. This study examined Chornobyl-related risk perceptions and their relationship to mental health in adolescents raised in Kyiv in the aftermath of the accident.

Methods

Risk perceptions, 12-month DSM-IV major depression (MDD)/generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and current symptomatology were examined in 265 evacuee adolescents, 261 classmate controls, and 327 population-based controls 19 years after the accident. Competing risk factors, including maternal risk perceptions and MDD/GAD, were taken into account.

Results

Significantly more evacuees (48.7%) than controls (33.4–40.0%) reported at least one negative perception of Chornobyl; 18.1% of evacuees versus 10.0-12.8% of controls reported 2–4. In contrast, 75.7% of evacuee mothers versus 34.8–37.6% of controls endorsed 2–4 negative perceptions. In the unadjusted analyses, adolescents’ perceptions were associated with both MDD/GAD and symptomatology. After adjusting for competing risk factors, their perceptions were associated with symptomatology only (p < 0.01). Among the competing risk factors, gender, self-esteem, life events, and peer support were significantly associated with MDD/GAD. These measures, along with quality of parental communication, father belligerence when drunk, and maternal MDD/GAD, were significantly associated with symptoms.

Conclusions

More evacuee teens reported negative risk perceptions than controls, but these perceptions were only modestly associated with mental health. Instead, the strongest risk factors comported with epidemiologic studies conducted in other parts of the world. Research is needed to determine whether children raised in the aftermath of other ecological disasters demonstrate similar resilience.
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Metadata
Title
Growing up in the shadow of Chornobyl: adolescents’ risk perceptions and mental health
Authors
Evelyn J. Bromet
Lin T. Guey
David P. Taormina
Gabrielle A. Carlson
Johan M. Havenaar
Roman Kotov
Semyon F. Gluzman
Publication date
01-05-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 5/2011
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0203-5

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