There are multiple trajectories of psychological outcomes post-disaster, with the most common being resilience or recovery, followed by risk for chronic impairment. Children are particularly psychologically vulnerable to the effects of disasters due to their limited coping skills, widely varying stages of development, and dependence on adults for emotional and physical safety.
APA declares development and implementation of a national strategy to prevent and treat the psychological sequelae of exposure of children and their families to disasters is a matter of the highest priority and supports the establishment of policies to maintain their psychological well-being.