Child and Parent Reaction to the Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident

Abstract

Thirty-five local children and their parents were studied 1 1/2 years after the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear accident. On a standardized self-report measure, the children were found to have a level of residual anxiety that was not identified by their parents. These children also consistently reported stronger and more symptomatic responses to the TMI accident for themselves than their parents did for them. Child intensity-of-reaction scores were significantly related to mother-father discordance in mood and reaction to the event. Four of the children who were psychiatrically disturbed showed significantly high or low intensity-of-reaction levels.