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Reactions of Young Adults to September 11, 2001
Carol A. Ford, MD;
J. Richard Udry, PhD;
Karin Gleiter, PhD;
Kim Chantala, MS
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003;157:572-578.
Background Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health provides opportunities to describe the reactions of young adults to September 11, 2001, and to increase understanding of the reactions among those who do not directly witness disasters.
Objectives To compare the feelings, perceptions, and behaviors of respondents interviewed before with those of respondents interviewed within 9 weeks after September 11; and to test the influence of time and distance from terrorist sites on pre-post comparisons.
Design Cross-sectional study, with comparison groups before and after September 11.
Setting In-home interviews.
Participants Seven thousand ninety-five respondents aged 18 to 26 years.
Main Outcome Measures Sadness, psychological distress, closeness to parents, importance of religion and spirituality, trust in government, and substance use.
Results Male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.65) and female (aOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.22-1.71) respondents interviewed after September 11 were more likely to report sadness and increased trust in government (aOR range, 2.11-3.30) than those interviewed before September 11. Proportions reporting sadness returned to baseline in 4 to 6 weeks; increased political trust persisted for the 9-week study period. Male respondents interviewed the second week afterwards were more likely to report religious faith (aOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.40-3.00) and spiritual life (aOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.18-2.60) as important than were those interviewed before the event. Female respondents interviewed afterwards were more likely to report higher levels of psychological distress (aOR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.08-1.83) and closeness to fathers (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.08-1.72). There were no pre-post differences in substance use. Respondents closest to terrorist sites were most affected.
Conclusion Young adults who did not directly witness the events of September 11 experienced reactions that were multifaceted and transient—except for persisting trust in government.
From the Adolescent Medicine Program and the Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine (Dr Ford); and the Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Drs Udry and Gleiter and Ms Chantala).
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