COPING OF SCHOOL-AGE-CHILDREN IN THE SEALED ROOM DURING SCUD MISSILE BOMBARDMENT AND POSTWAR STRESS REACTIONS

Children's coping behaviors in the sealed room (a shelter against chem ical and biological weapons) during scud missile attacks in the Persia n Gulf war were examined in relation to postwar stress reactions. Thre e weeks after the war, 5th, 7th, and 10th graders (N = 492) completed questionnaires assessing coping behaviors and emotional responses in t he sealed room, as well as current stress reactions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite an underlying feeling of tension, the dominant emotional stance in the sealed room was one of detached optim ism. Common forms of coping involved information seeking, checking, an d wishful thinking. Emotion-focused coping such as avoidance and distr action strategies was associated with less postwar stress reactions th an persistence at direct problem-focused actions once the minimal acti ons available had been undertaken. Fifth graders were found to use les s emotion-focused and more problem-focused coping strategies than were the 7th and 10th graders.