Children Following the Ghislenghien Gas Explosion: PTSD Predictors and Risk Factors

This paper describes the risk factors for the development of posttraumatic stress reactions in children after a technological disaster in Ghislenghien, Belgium in 2004. Children were assessed at five months (T1, N = 128) and at fourteen months (T2; N = 69). At T1 and T2 respectively, 7 % and 4 % of the responding children showed severe posttraumatic stress reactions. Of those who showed posttraumatic stress reactions at T1, 60 % recovered from these symptoms at T2. One child developed severe posttraumatic stress reactions between T1 and T2. Risk factors related to posttraumatic stress reactions were: (a) type of exposure to the disaster; (b) peritraumatic dissociation during or immediately after the disaster; and (c) dissatisfaction with the received psychological help.