Children’s reactions to tragedy

Reports research into American children’s attitudes towards the Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004, based on a poll of 1,251 eight to 18‐year‐olds. Divides this age range into “tweens” of 8 to 12 year olds, and “teens” of 13 to 18, and notes differences between these subgroups in the answers received. Compares the reaction of Generation Y, which includes both age groups surveyed, to the preceding Generation X. Finds that: 68 per cent of children surveyed were closely following the news about the tsunami and only 7 per cent were not following it at all; 54 per cent felt that the media were paying the right amount of attention to the event and only 11 per cent thought there should be less coverage; 88 per cent had heard acquaintances talking about it; 61 per cent felt motivated to take action and became involved in the relief effort, with private prayer the most common action; 33 per cent actually gave money; 20 per cent were very worried about a further tsunami; 50 per cent thought that Americans were doing all they could to help the victims, but 29 per cent thought that more could be done. Concludes that Generation Y is characterised by its group and community orientation, and differs in this from the disaffected and individualistic Generation X that preceded it. Considers the significance of the concept of generation, noting that young adults are the oldest portion of Generation Y and that their attitudes to the geographically distant disaster were closer to those of the tweens and teens than were those of adults as a whole.