Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-05-23T13:51:31.740Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A theoretical model of continuity in anxiety and links to academic achievement in disaster-exposed school children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2013

Carl F. Weems ,
Brandon G. Scott ,
Leslie K. Taylor ,
Melinda F. Cannon ,
Dawn M. Romano  and
Andre M. Perry
Carl F. Weems*
Affiliation:
University of New Orleans
Brandon G. Scott
Affiliation:
University of New Orleans
Leslie K. Taylor
Affiliation:
University of New Orleans
Melinda F. Cannon
Affiliation:
University of New Orleans
Dawn M. Romano
Affiliation:
Private Practice, New Orleans
Andre M. Perry
Affiliation:
University of New Orleans
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Carl F. Weems, Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148; E-mail: cweems@uno.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study tested a theoretical model of continuity in anxious emotion and its links to academic achievement in disaster-exposed youth. An urban school based sample of youths (n = 191; Grades 4–8) exposed to Hurricane Katrina were assessed at 24 months (Time 1) and then again at 30 months (Time 2) postdisaster. Academic achievement was assessed through end of the school year standardized test scores (~31 months after Katrina). The results suggest that the association of traumatic stress to academic achievement was indirect via linkages from earlier (Time 1) posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms that predicted later (Time 2) test anxiety. Time 2 test anxiety was then negatively associated with academic achievement. Age and gender invariance testing suggested strong consistency across gender and minor developmental variation in the age range examined. The model presented advances the developmental understanding of the expression of anxious emotion and its links to student achievement among disaster-exposed urban school children. The findings highlight the importance of identifying heterotypic continuity in anxiety and suggest potential applied and policy directions for disaster-exposed youth. Avenues for future theoretical refinement are also discussed.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , August 2013 , pp. 729 - 737
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Arbuckle, J. L. (1983–2010). Amos version 19.0. Meadville, PA: AMOS Development Corporation.Google Scholar
Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Beers, S. R., & De Bellis, M. D. (2002). Neuropsychological function in children with maltreatment-related posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 483–486.Google Scholar
Byrne, B. M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Calhoun, L. G., & Tedeschi, R. G. (2006). Handbook of posttraumatic growth. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Carter, R., Williams, S., & Silverman, W. K. (2008). Cognitive and emotional facets of test anxiety in African American school children. Cognition and Emotion, 22, 539–551.Google Scholar
Chavira, D. A., Stein, M. B., Bailey, K., & Stein, M. T. (2003). Parental opinions regarding treatment for social anxiety disorder in youth. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 24, 315–322.Google Scholar
Chorpita, B. F., Yim, L., Moffitt, C., Umemoto, L. A., & Francis, S. E. (2000). Assessment of symptoms of DSM-IV anxiety and depression in children: A revised child anxiety and depression scale. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 835–855.Google Scholar
Fox, J., Halpern, L., & Forsyth, J. (2008). Mental health checkups for children and adolescents: A means to identify, prevent, and minimize suffering associated with anxiety and mood disorders. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 15, 182–211.Google Scholar
Frederick, C. J., Pynoos, R. S., & Nadar, K. (1992). Reaction Index to Psychic Trauma Form C (Child). Unpublished manuscript, University of California.Google Scholar
Gil, T., Calev, A., Greenberg, D., Kugelmass, S., & Lerer, B. (1990). Cognitive functioning in posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3, 29–45.Google Scholar
Gilbertson, M. W., Gurvits, T. V., Lasko, N. B., Orr, S. P., & Pitman, R. K. (2001). Multivariate assessment of explicit memory function in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14, 413–432.Google Scholar
Gray, J. A. (1982). Neuropsychological theory of anxiety: An investigation of the septal-hippocampal system. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gray, J. A., & McNaughton, N. (2000). The neuropsychology of anxiety (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gullone, E., & King, N. (1997). Three-year follow-up of normal fear in children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 15, 97–111.Google Scholar
Gullone, E., King, N. J., & Ollendick, T. H. (2001). Self-reported anxiety in children and adolescents: A three-year study. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 162, 5–19.Google Scholar
Hatzenbuehler, M. L., McLaughlin, K. A., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2008). Emotion regulation and internalizing symptoms in a longitudinal study of sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 1270–1278.Google Scholar
Hensley, L., & Varela, R. E. (2008). PTSD symptoms and somatic complaints following Hurricane Katrina: The role of trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 542–552.Google Scholar
Hoven, C. W., Duarte, C. S., Lucas, C. P., Wu, P., Mandell, D. J., Goodwin, R. D., et al. (2005). Psychopathology among New York City public school children 6 months after September 11. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 545–552.Google Scholar
Kessler, R. C., Galea, S., Gruber, M. J., Sampson, N.A., Ursano, R. J., & Wessely, S. (2008). Trends in mental illness and suicidality after Hurricane Katrina. Molecular Psychiatry, 13, 374–384.Google Scholar
Kilmer, R. P., & Gil-Rivas, V. (2010). Exploring posttraumatic growth in children impacted by Hurricane Katrina: Correlates of the phenomenon and developmental considerations. Child Development, 81, 1211–1227.Google Scholar
King, N. J., Mietz, A., Tinney, L., & Ollendick, T. H. (1995). Psychopathology and cognition in adolescents experiencing severe test anxiety. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 24, 49–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kline, R. B. (2006). Principles and practices of structural equation modeling (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Prinstein, M. (1996). Symptoms of posttraumatic stress after Hurricane Andrew: A prospective study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 712–723.Google Scholar
La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.) (2002). Helping children cope with disasters and terrorism. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., & Wasserstein, S. B. (1998). Children's predisaster functioning as a predictor of posttraumatic stress following Hurricane Andrew. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 883–892.Google Scholar
Liu, A., & Plyer, A. (2007). Executive summary: November 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2007/08neworleansindex/200711_katrinaES.pdfGoogle Scholar
Lonigan, C. J., Shannon, M. P., Taylor, C. M., Finch, A. J., & Sallee, F. R. (1994). Children exposed to disaster: II. Risk factors for the development of post-traumatic symptomatology. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33, 94–105.Google Scholar
Marsee, M. A. (2008). Reactive aggression and posttraumatic stress in adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 39, 519–529.Google Scholar
McDonald, A. S. (2001). The prevalence and effects of test anxiety in school children. Educational Psychology, 21, 89–101.Google Scholar
McNally, R. J., & Shin, L. M. (1995). Association of intelligence with severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Vietnam combat veterans. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 936–938.Google ScholarPubMed
Mojtabai, R., & Olfson, M. (2006). Treatment seeking for depression in Canada and the United States. Psychiatric Services, 57, 631–639.Google Scholar
Ollendick, T. H., Langley, A. K., Jones, R. T., & Kephart, C. (2001). Fear in children and adolescents: Relations with negative life events, attributional style, and avoidant coping. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 1029–1034.Google Scholar
Rabalais, A. E., Ruggiero, K. J., & Scotti, J. R. (2002). Multicultural issues in the response of children to disasters. In La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.), Helping children cope with disasters and terrorism (pp. 73–99). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saigh, P. A., Mroueh, M., & Bremner, J. D. (1997). Scholastic impairments among traumatized adolescents. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 429–436.Google Scholar
Sarason, S. B., Davidson, K., Lighthall, F., & Waite, R. (1958). A test anxiety scale for children. Child Development, 29, 105–113.Google Scholar
Scheeringa, M. S., & Zeanah, C. H. (2008). Reconsideration of harm's way: Onsets and comorbidity patterns of disorders in preschool children and their caregivers following Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 508–518.Google Scholar
Silverman, W. K., & Carter, R. (2006). Anxiety disturbance in girls and women. In Worell, J. & Goodheart, C. (Eds.), Handbook of girls' and women's psychological health (pp. 60–68). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Silverman, W. K., & La Greca, A. M. (2002). Children experiencing disasters: Definitions, reactions, and predictors of outcomes. In La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.), Helping children cope with disasters (pp. 11–34). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Sobel, M. E. (1982). Asymptotic intervals for indirect effects in structural equations models. In Leinhart, S. (Ed.), Sociological methodology 1982 (pp. 290–312). San Francisco, CA: Jossey–Bass.Google Scholar
Spell, A. W., Kelley, M. L., Self-Brown, S., Davidson, K., Pellegrin, A., Palcic, J., et al. (2008). The moderating effects of maternal psychopathology on children's adjustment post-Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 553–563.Google Scholar
Spence, S. H. (1997). Structure of anxiety symptoms among children: A confirmatory factor-analytic study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 280–297.Google Scholar
Sprung, M. (2008). Unwanted intrusive thoughts and cognitive functioning and young elementary school children following Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 575–587.Google Scholar
Vasterling, J. J., Brailey, K., Constans, J. I., & Sutker, P. B. (1998). Attention and memory dysfunction in posttraumatic stress disorder. Neuropsychology, 12, 125–133.Google Scholar
Vasterling, J. J., Duke, L. M., Brailey, K., Constans, J. I., Allain, A. N., & Sutker, P. B. (2002). Attention, learning, and memory performances and intellectual resources in Vietnam veterans: PTSD and no disorder comparisons. Neuropsychology, 16, 5–14.Google Scholar
Vernberg, E. M., La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., & Prinstein, M. (1996). Predictors of children's post-disaster functioning following Hurricane Andrew. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 237–248.Google Scholar
Warren, S. L., & Sroufe, L. A. (2004). Developmental issues. In Ollendick, T. H. & March, J. S. (Eds.), Phobic and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: A clinician's guide to effective psychosocial and pharmacological interventions (pp. 92–115). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Watson, D. (2005). Rethinking the mood and anxiety disorders: A quantitative hierarchical model for DSM-V. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 114, 522–536.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F. (2008). Developmental trajectories of childhood anxiety: Identifying continuity and change in anxious emotion. Developmental Review, 28, 488–502.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., & Costa, N. M. (2005). Developmental differences in the expression of childhood anxiety symptoms and fears. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44, 656–663.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., & Overstreet, S. (2008). Child and adolescent mental health research in the context of Hurricane Katrina: An ecological needs-based perspective and introduction to the special section. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 487–494.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., Piña, A. A., Costa, N. M., Watts, S. E., Taylor, L. K., & Cannon, M. F. (2007). Pre-disaster trait anxiety and negative affect predict posttraumatic stress in youth after Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 154–159.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., Taylor, L. K., Cannon, M. F., Marino, R., Romano, D. M., Scott, B. G., et al. (2010). Posttraumatic stress, context, and the lingering effects of the Hurricane Katrina disaster among ethnic minority youth. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38, 49–56.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., Taylor, L. K., Costa, N. M., Marks, A. B., Romano, D. M., Verrett, S. L., et al. (2009). Effect of a school-based test anxiety intervention in ethnic minority youth exposed to Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30, 218–226.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., Watts, S. E., Marsee, M. A., Taylor, L. K., Costa, N. M., Cannon, M. F., et al. (2007). The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina: Contextual differences in psychological symptoms, social support, and discrimination. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2295–2306.Google Scholar
Weems, C. F., Zakem, A., Costa, N. M., Cannon, M. F., & Watts, S. E. (2005). Physiological response and childhood anxiety: Association with symptoms of anxiety disorders and cognitive bias. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 712–723.Google Scholar
Westenberg, P. M., Gullone, E., Bokhorst, C. L., Heyne, D. A., & King, N. J. (2007). Social evaluation fear in childhood and adolescence: Normative developmental course and continuity of individual differences. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 25, 471–483.Google Scholar
Westenberg, P. M., Siebelink, B. M., & Treffers, P. D. A. (2001). Psychosocial developmental theory in relation to anxiety and its disorders. In Silverman, W. K. & Treffers, P. D. A. (Eds.), Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: Research, assessment and intervention (pp. 72–89). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Yule, W., Bolton, D., Udwin, O., Boyle, S., O'Ryan, D., & Nurrish, J. (2000). The long-term psychological effects of a disaster experienced in adolescence: I. The incidence and course of PTSD. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 503–512.Google Scholar