'When I came home…Everything was gone.' The Impact of Residential Fires on Children

摘要

Children's reactions to residential fires were explored using a qualitative methodology. Forty-four children (n = 44) between the ages of 6 and 18 (23 female and 21 male) participated. The youth were interviewed using two instruments that assessed levels of psychological distress and explored their perceptions regarding their experiences of the fire. The following five themes were identified through qualitative analysis of the interview transcriptions: vivid description, fear/trauma, physical injury, losses, and gains. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.