Alleviating posttraumatic stress in children following Hurricane Andrew

Sixty grade-school children who showed classroom behavior problems following Hurricane Andrew were given massage therapy on 8 days 1 month after the hurricane. Scores on the PTSD Reaction Index suggest that the children were experiencing posttraumatic stress. As compared to a video attention control group, the ren who received massage therapy reported being happier and less anxious and had lower salivary cortisol levels after the therapy. In addition, the massage therapy group showed more sustained changes as manifested by lower scores on the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and self-drawings, and were observed to be more relaxed. These positive effects were promising given the persistence of PTSD symptoms noted for children who have not received intervention following disasters such as hurricanes.