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Public Disaster Communication and Child and Family Disaster Mental Health: a Review of Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Evidence

  • Child and Family Disaster Psychiatry (B Pfefferbaum, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Children have been identified as particularly vulnerable to psychological and behavioral difficulties following disaster. Public child and family disaster communication is one public health tool that can be utilized to promote coping/resilience and ameliorate maladaptive child reactions following an event. We conducted a review of the public disaster communication literature and identified three main functions of child and family disaster communication: fostering preparedness, providing psychoeducation, and conducting outreach. Our review also indicates that schools are a promising system for child and family disaster communication. We complete our review with three conclusions. First, theoretically, there appears to be a great opportunity for public disaster communication focused on child disaster reactions. Second, empirical research assessing the effects of public child and family disaster communication is essentially nonexistent. Third, despite the lack of empirical evidence in this area, there is opportunity for public child and family disaster communication efforts that address new domains.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Disaster and Community Crisis Center, Department of Communication, University of Missouri, 115 Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-2310, USA

    J. Brian Houston

  2. Disaster and Community Crisis Center, School of Social Work, University of Missouri, 206 Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Jennifer First

  3. Disaster and Community Crisis Center, Department of Communication, University of Missouri, 207 Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-2310, USA

    Matthew L. Spialek

  4. Disaster and Community Crisis Center, Department of Communication, University of Missouri, 007 Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-2310, USA

    Mary E. Sorenson

  5. Disaster and Community Crisis Center, Department of Communication, University of Missouri, 006A Switzler Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211-2310, USA

    Megan Koch

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  1. J. Brian Houston
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Correspondence to J. Brian Houston.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Child and Family Disaster Psychiatry

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Houston, J.B., First, J., Spialek, M.L. et al. Public Disaster Communication and Child and Family Disaster Mental Health: a Review of Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Evidence. Curr Psychiatry Rep 18, 54 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-016-0690-5

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