PTSD Symptoms of Mothers following Occurrence of a Disaster Affecting Their Children

This study investigated the PTSD symptoms of 37 mothers whose adolescent children had been directly involved in a disaster, the Jupiter sinking in 1988. This group included mothers whose children were (a) not diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and (b) were diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The measure used was the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale. Women whose children were involved in the disaster presented PTSD symptoms. 35% (n = 13) were diagnosed with PTSD 3 mo. after the disaster, and 8% (n = 3) of them were diagnosed with PTSD 6 yr. afterward. This effect was greater in the subgroup whose children had developed traumatic stress disorder following the disaster.