Influence of children's disaster anxiety on their mental well‐being: Focusing parental warmth and gender

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThis research analyzed the influence of children's anxiety of disaster on their life satisfaction and depression, as well as examined parental warmth's effect on this relationship.BackgroundRecent disasters have been causing various anxieties. However, there are not many studies that observe the association between such anxieties related to disasters and children's psychosocial well‐being.MethodThere were 2,411 children responding to questions on their disaster‐related anxiety (49.8% girls, average age 12 years old). Measures evaluating children's perceptions of their disaster‐related anxiety, warmth of their parents, life satisfaction, and depression were administered.ResultsThe results revealed a notable association between children's disaster‐related anxiety and their satisfaction. It was also observed that parental warmth partially mediated this relationship among boys, suggesting that positive parenting is related to how children's anxiety is associated with their life satisfaction. However, no significant gender differences were detected except for the path from anxiety of disaster to parental warmth.ConclusionsThis study explores the impact of children's levels of disaster‐related anxiety on their life satisfaction and highlights the crucial role of parental warmth in reducing this effect.ImplicationsWith the negative influence of disaster‐related anxiety on life satisfaction, it is important to provide various interventions that address this issue. Amid the aftermath of a disaster, appropriate psychological support and various programs should be implemented to help parents support children in coping and managing anxiety.