Preparing children for hurricanes.

• Author: Seligman, Fred

Discussing what may occur before a storm strikes can prepare youngsters for the mental and physical trauma that usually follows a disaster and thus help to ease much of the anxiety.

"I AM WRITING an article on hurricanes," I told a Dade County Juvenile Court judge. "That's very nice, Doctor," she replied. "I remember very well getting ready for my first hurricane with my parents when I was very young." Before long, the congenial judge was reminiscing about her youth and talking about her family, especially her mother.

Living in Miami, Fla., which was in the direct path of Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992, and is home to the National Hurricane Center, I have observed the media's and municipal authorities' intense interest in such storms and hurricane preparation. Even the University of Miami athletic teams take their name from these natural phenomena. There are a wide range of reactions to hurricanes, modified by individual and collective factors such as experiencing a previous natural disaster. Some people. diligently plan for the storm. Others deny its peril and reject the need for precaution. Some even celebrate the hurricane's imminent arrival. Psychological factors play an important role in how people cope with crisis situations and the aftermath. Accordingly, optimal preparation prior to anticipated danger improves emotional outcome. This technological know-how in affecting psychological outcome has extended to children since young people no longer are considered innocent, passive onlookers to dangerous situations.

Many who prepare for a hurricane probably never will experience a direct hit, although, over time, individuals who live in a high-risk geographical area have a more than negligible probability of sustaining one. Hurricane preparation allows families an excellent opportunity to consider several important emotional issues so that members will benefit by psychological preparation even if they do not experience the full wrath of the anticipated storm. Effective hurricane anticipation will help kids ready themselves in ways that will result in significant emotional growth, healthier psychological well-being, the ability to face successfully potential crises in general, and specifically to reduce the trauma should they be victims of a direct hit.

Natural disasters have variable periods of potential impending psychological threat. One never can predict a hurricane's path absolutely. Once the tropical storm becomes a hurricane, however, it has a finite and relatively short-lived existence. This contrasts to the time frame of other potential natural disasters. The danger of an earthquake is ever-present in a geographical area (i.e., the San Andres Fault in California) and thus is a longer-lived, chronic threat. On the other hand, lightning has a negligible period of impending danger. The one-to two-week life of a hurricane (which appears to have a synchronous fit to the periodicity of human emotional rhythm) fosters the development of strong responses. Among these are reawakened sensations of parental bonding and feelings of love and rejection, trust and mistrust, and security and helplessness. A shorter time may not suffice for effective surfacing and processing of such feelings, while a longer one may cause emotional overload.

Advanced hurricane detection now gives more time to organize, thereby reducing the vulnerability to impending hurricane threats. It also allows communities to develop a contingency plan long before the actual hurricane season. This is unique because a hurricane is one of the few disasters that people know may be coming soon. Additionally, sophisticated meteorological advances allow families a window of time during which life appears normal, with no overt cause for panic. In this way, what one faces when bracing psychologically for a hurricane is unique and offers singular opportunities for emotional growth. Children can develop and strengthen lifelong tools to manage impending doom that will help them to cope better, for example, with such personal stressors as a life-threatening illness in a close...