Publication

AIMS: The aims of this study were to examine the physical and psychological states of children 6 years old and younger and their parents, as victims of the Kumamoto Earthquake (2016), two months after the disaster, and to clarify factors affecting their state. METHODS: The participants were 720 nursery school children aged 0-6 as well as their parents. Parents completed a questionnaire about their physical and psychological states in addition to those of their child. RESULTS: One hundred of 216 (46.3%) children under 3 years old, 253 of 431 (58.7%) children 3-6 years old, and 330 of 647 (51.0%) parents experienced one or more psychological symptoms two months after the event. Many children under three years old experienced hypersensitivity (21.8%) and insomnia (19.0%), as well as fears of darkness or specific places (16.7%). Several children 3-6 years old experienced fears of darkness or specific places (34.3%), separation anxiety (31.3%), and hypersensitivity (19.7%). Many parents experienced anxiety (22.7%), irritability (20.1%), and hypersensitivity (18.4%). Psychological symptoms of parents were more common when they lived somewhere other than their house, but the same was not true for children. The number of psychological symptoms of children was significantly correlated with the number of psychological symptoms of their parents. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a need for psychosocial support for both children and their parents, as well as the need for prompt action for recovering homes after disasters.