The psychological cost of aircraft noise for children

Psychological effects of aircraft noise exposure on children have only rece ntly been addressed in the References. The current study took advantage of a natural experiment caused by the opening of a major new airport, exposing children in a formerly quiet area to aircraft noise. In this prospective l ongitudinal investigation, which employed nan-exposed control groups, effec ts of aircraft noise prior to and subsequent to inauguration of the new air port as well as effects of chronic noise and its reduction at the old airpo rt (6 and 18 month post relocation), were studied in 326 children aged 9 to 13 years. The psychological health of children was investigated with a sta ndardized quality of life scale as well as with a motivational measure deri ved from the Glass and Singer stress aftereffects paradigm. In addition a s elf report noise annoyance scale was used. In the children studied at the t wo airports over three time points, results showed a significant decrease o f total quality of life 18 month after aircraft noise exposure as well as a motivational deficits operationalized by fewer attempts to solve insoluble puzzles in the new airport area. Parallel shifts in children's attribution s for failure were also noted. At the old airport parallel impairments were present before the airport relocation but subsided there after. These find ings are in accord with reports of impaired psychological health after nois e exposure and indicate the relevance of monitoring psychological parameter s as a function of environmental stressors among children.