Factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder in children experienced natural disaster

Because Oklahoma has more tornadoes per square mile than any region in the world, children in Oklahoma and other disaster prone areas are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to exposure to and threat of tornadoes. Given the gaps in the literature and the risk to children living in Oklahoma, the present study was undertaken to factor analyze items representing underlying dimensions of PTSD. This factor analysis of the responses of children who experienced a tornado indicate that it may be more useful to re align the DSM-IV symptoms into five underlying dimensions. These dimensions appears to be: (1) blocking/vigilance, (2) affective/adjustment difficulties, (3) re-experiencing/ intrusion, (4) somatic/attachment and (5) sense of foreshortened future. Items of avoidance stimuli, loaded across factors, with avoiding places associated with vigilance, avoiding people associated with adjustment problems, and television stimuli associated with re-experiencing. Psychologists should consider these results when developing interventions.