Children of 9/11 first responders are experiencing impacts to their mental health

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-05-28 04:00

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Children whose parents were affected by the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001 are more likely to be experiencing mental health problems now, according to international researchers studying potential multi-generational impacts of the traumatic event. The researchers recruited traditional and non-traditional first responders who developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event, as well as their now adult children, to complete surveys around their mental health and family relationships. The researchers say the more a parent was exposed to trauma on September 11, the more likely their child was to report PTSD, anxiety and panic symptoms. The parents' current mental health was also linked to the mental health status of their children, the researchers say. They say this study is an example of how intergenerational trauma can be passed down even when children do not experience the same traumatic event.