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OAKLAND, Calif., Apr. 10 (AScribe Newswire) -- Following is a summary of news sources who are willing to discuss issues related to talking to children about war. Each of these organizations issued news releases on the AScribe newswire. This summary of sources is provided by AScribe as a service for the media.

William Beardslee, MD / Children's Hospital, Boston

Dr. Beardslee , psychiatrist-in-chief, has spent mor than 30 years helping families talk about difficult matters. In the 1970s, he pioneered ways that parents could talk about the threat of nuclear war and the Cold War. He and others at Children's Hospital Boston were very active during the Gulf War in schools and at the hospital in discussing issues relevant to children and parents. He and his staff also developed guidelines for hospital staff, as well as parents and teachers, to help children deal with the Sept. 11 tragedy. Contact Office of Public Affairs, at 617-355-6420; evenings and weekends, 617-355-6369, pager 1641.

Scott Johnson / Virginia Tech

Johnson is director of VT's marriage and family therapy doctoral program. He can provide assistance on how to talk with children about war and ways to deal with children's fears and anxieties regarding war. Contact Johnson at (o) 540-231-3311, (h) 540-961-0328 or (c) 540-449-8328; swj@vt.edu;

Russell Jones / Virginia Tech

Jones, professor of psychology, can provide assistance on how parents can talk to children about war and how parents can help children avoid depression and feelings of helplessness. He is also able to address how adults can deal with feelings of depression and helplessness. Contact Jones at (o) 540-231-5934 or (h) 540-552-3926. Sylvia Yuen / University of Hawaii, Manoa Yuen, director of the university's Center on the Family, specializes in children and family. She can address how to talk to children about war. Contact Yuen at (o) 808-956-4132; syuen@hawaii.edu.

Bruce Chorpita / University of Hawaii, Manoa

Chorpita is associate professor of psychology and co-director of the university's Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. His research interests include reducing stress and anxiety in children and adolescents related to war. Contact Chorpita at (o) 808-956-3607; chorpita@hawaii.edu.

Iris Borowsky, MD / University of Minnesota

Dr. Borowsky is assistant professor of pediatrics. Her area of expertise includes violence and its effect on youth. She can speak about the effect of war on children and how to talk to children about war. Contact Brenda Hudson, Academic Health Center, at (o) 612-624-5680.

Stuart Goldman, MD / Children's Hospital, Boston

Dr. Goldman is a psychiatrist at Children's Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He consults with parent groups, parent/teacher organizations, teachers and physician groups on a wide range of childhood psychiatric issues, including how to talk with children about tragedy, terrorism and war. Following Sept. 11, his presentations focused on how to help patients and families cope with the tragedy. Goldman is also a parent of school-age children. Contact Office of Public Affairs, at 617-355-6420; evenings and weekends, 617-355-6369, pager 1641.

Judith Karshmer / University of South Florida Health Sciences Center

Karshmer, professor of nursing, can discuss how war and its extensive news coverage may affect children and families, and how parents can help their children deal with their war-related concerns and anxiety. Karshmer is an advanced registered nurse practitioner specializing in psychiatric care and social psychology. Contact Karshmer at jkarshme@hsc.usf.edu. Alternate contact: Marissa Emerson or Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Sciences Public Affairs, 813-974-3300.

Caroline Clauss-Ehlers / Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Ehlers is an assistant professor of counseling psychology and speaks fluent Spanish. She can discuss the effects of trauma and violence on children and young adults as well as the steps parents and educators can take to address the war. Contact Clauss-Ehlers at (o) 732-932-7496, ext. 8312.

Maurice Elias / Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Elias, a professor of psychology, is an expert in child/family, clinical, and school psychology. He is nationally recognized for his development of social and emotional learning programs that train children in social decision-making and life skills to enhance education and reduce violence and disruptive behavior in schools. He is co-author of "Emotionally Intelligent Parenting: How to Raise a Self-Disciplined, Responsible, Socially Skilled Child" and "Raising Emotionally Intelligent Teenagers: Parenting with Love, Laughter, and Limits." Elias can discuss how children and families can cope with the escalating world tensions. Contact Elias at (o) 732-445-2444; HPUSYme@aol.com.

Ann Masten / University of Minnesota

Masten, director of the Institute of Child Development, can discuss how to talk with children about war. Masten has expertise in the development of competence among children, adolescents and young adults, particularly in context of high cumulative risk and stressful life events. Her work has included studying children growing up in situations involving war and homelessness. Contact Masten at (o) 612-624-0215. Alternate contact: Patty Mattern, UM News Service, 612-624-2801.

John Constantino, MD / Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis

Dr. Constantino, assistant professor of child psychiatry, is an expert on psychiatric and developmental disorders in children (infancy through early adulthood), psychiatric complications of medical disorders and abnormally aggressive behavior in children, Constantino can provide parents with advice on how to talk to their children about war and terrorism. Contact Dr. Constatino at (o) 314-286-0100. Alternate contact: Nicole Vines, WUSM Media Relations, 314-286.0105.

Terrie Rose / University of Minnesota

Rose, child development expert, offers advice on how to talk to children about war and calm their fears. Rose says some children may see the war as a video game. "As a family you watch it in real time in your living room on you're television and some children may see this as a video game," said Rose. She offers advice for how to answer those tough questions children can ask from their imaginative perspective. Contact Rose at (o) 612-624-3870.

Julie Dunsmore / Hamilton College

Dunsmore, assistant professor of psychology, says, "If you have children, particularly young children, turn the television off." Young children are not able to differentiate between repeated footage and when it is shown for the first time. Similarly they have a limited understanding of distances and may not realize what they're seeing is too far away to hurt them. In a study of how children reacted to September 11, Dunsmore found that children who watched television footage were less able to cope with what happened and had more negative reactions to the attacks. "What we found is that kids who had more frequent exposure to the media had fewer ideas of how they could deal with the attacks," said Dunsmore, a development psychologist. She suggested parents discuss what's happening with their children and help children do something help an elderly neighbor or collect money for children in the Middle East. "Even if it's not directly related (to the war) they'll fell like they're making a positive contribution to the world." Contact Dunsmore at (o) 315-859-4724; e-mail jdunsmor@hamilton.edu.

Paul Rosenblatt / University of Minnesota

Rosenblatt, social sciences professor, is available to give tips on how to talk to kids about the war. Rosenblatt believes that the younger the child, the less that needs to be said. "As a parent of a younger child, I might not say anything if the child doesn't bring it up," said Rosenblatt. "If the child seems concerned about whether the war will come home in some way, I would say that I will do everything in my power to protect you from harm and to keep us all safe. I would say that the war, so far, is happening over there, and we hope it will stay there." Contact Rosenblatt at (o) 612-625-3120 or (h) 612-636-8114. Alternate contact: Catherine Peloquin, UM News Service, 612-624-8038.

Abigail Gewirtz / University of Minnesota

Gewirtz, psychology associate professor in the Institute for Child Development, can comment on how U.S. children react to war. "Children's reactions to this war will vary widely, depending on a number of factors including their age and their vulnerabilities (how 'close' and meaningful the war is for them), said Gewirtz. "Talking with children about war is an almost inevitable task adults face these days." Gewirtz has some tips for talking with your children, depending on their developmental stage. A key point is to ensure that children feel safe and contained in their immediate surroundings, to reassure them that they are well looked after, and to listen with an open ear. Contact Gewirtz at (o) 612-626-4574 or (c) 651-283 8433. Alternate contact: Catherine Peloquin, UM News Service, 612-624-8038.

Avery Goldstein / California State University, Long Beach

Goldstein, professor of family and consumer sciences, has specialized in parenting, parent relationships, adolescent self-esteem and adolescent identity development. She can discuss children's fears and how parents can talk to their children during these difficult times. Contact Goldstein at (o) 562/985-4482.

Kenneth Haller, MD / Saint Louis University

Dr. Haller, assistant professor of pediatrics, can provide real-world advice for parents about talking to their children about the war. "Listen to what they're asking behind the words they use. Chances are, when a young child asks, 'What's going to happen if we go to war with Iraq,' what they're really asking is, 'Am I going to get hurt?' or 'Are Mom and Dad going to get hurt?' That's what really needs to be addressed rather than the geopolitics," Dr. Haller says. So instead of discussing why the United States is contemplating war, talk about your child's feelings, Dr. Haller advises. Contact Nancy Solomon, SLU News Office, at 314-977-8017.

Judith Myers-Walls / Purdue University

Myers-Walls, an expert in child development, says children will be bombarded with media coverage, heightened security and even conversations among their peers as the war with Iraq begins. "Elementary-age children are likely to be confused about events and may mix historical, fantasy and imagined events in their current understanding. . . . Some of them may feel vulnerable, so it may be helpful to talk with them about what parents and others are doing to keep them safe and to help them find coping strategies when they are afraid." Preteens and teenagers need to be included in the discussions. "Preteens may have more difficulty than younger kids with understanding why adults are choosing to go to war when those adults have told them war and violence are bad." Myers-Walls has her own Web site (www.ces.purdue.edu/terrorism/) that deals with terrorism- and war-related topics for children. Contact Myers-Walls at (o) 765-494-2959; myerswal@cfs.purdue.edu.

Karen Myers-Bowman / Kansas State University

Myers-Bowman is an assistant professor of family studies and human services with expertise in family life education. She recently received a grant for the study, "Parents, Children, War and Peace in the Wake of September 11th." Myers-Bowman said children often have perceptions of events and resulting fears that are irrational. She recommends parents and children talk about their own value system to help children think about what is right and wrong. These talks can help parents discover and alleviate their children's irrational fears. Contact Myers-Bowman at 785-532-1491; karensm@k-state.edu; or Cheryl May, K-State Media Relations, 785-532-6415.

Robin Goodman / New York University School of Medicine

Goodman, clinical associate professor of psychology, advised and trained teachers and parents on how to speak to children about 9/11, impending war and terrorism and how to recognize Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in children. She is a staff member of the NYU Child Study Center. Contact Pam McDonnell, NYU Medical Center Media Relations, at (o) 212-404-3555.

Jerry Aldridge / University of Alabama, Birmingham

Aldridge, a professor in the UAB School of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction, .is an expert in child development and personality development. He can address such questions as what to say to children whan a parent goes to war. He is author of several books, including "Self Esteem: Loving Yourself at Every Age." Contact Gail Short, UAB Media Relations, at 205-934-8931, or UAB Paging at 205-934-3411.

John Murray / Kansas State University

Murray, a professor of developmental psychology, said very young children will not understand why nations go to war with other nations, but they will understand from the images portrayed on television programs and news footage that people die, are hurt and will be killed as a result of the war. When talking to their children about a war with Iraq, Murray encourages parents to put the conflict into a larger global context and discuss the risks and harm associated with any war. He cautions parents not to use parallels such as a conflict between a friend at school or a playmate because those parallels run the risk of trivializing the war by trying to make it too close to home or too similar to a child's life. What is most helpful in dealing with the fears and concerns that children will experience in dealing with wars and trauma is to let your children know your love and support for them and your willingness to talk about their feelings. Contact Murray at 785-532-1456; jpm@k-state.edu; or Cheryl May, K-State Media Relations, 785-532-6415.

David Fassler, M.D / University of Vermont College of Medicine

Dr. Fassler, clinical associate professor, is a practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist He urges parents to take the time to talk to their children about war - regardless of their age - and give them the opportunity to voice any concerns or questions they may have during this unstable time. "War and terrorism are not easy for anyone to comprehend or accept. Understandably, many young children feel confused, upset and anxious. By creating an open environment where they feel free to ask questions, we can help them cope and reduce the risk of lasting emotional difficulties." Fassler offers 20 tips to help parents get through this tough conversation. His recommendations, endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill are available at www.psych.org/disaster/20tipsparents11801.cfm. Contact Jennifer Nachbur, College of Medicine Communications, 802-656-7875; jennifer.nachbur@uvm.edu.

Harold Koplewicz, MD / New York University School of Medicine

Dr. Koplewicz, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry, advised and trained teachers and administrators from the New York City Board of Education and countless other organizations on how to speak to children about 9/11, impending war, and bio-terrorism. He can also address how to recognize post traumatic stress disorder in children. He and his staff at the NYU Child Study Center have counseled hundreds of children and families since the terrorist attacks in New York. Contact Pam McDonnell, NYU Medical Center Media Relations, at (o) 212-404-3555.