Families enrolled in a research program examining children's health behaviors and media habits before September 11, 2001 were analyzed to assess the impact of media coverage of the terrorist attacks on children's and mothers' stress levels, coping strategies, and health behaviors. After the attacks, 68% of mothers and 38% of children reported experiencing one or more symptoms of distress. These results indicate that children were more susceptible to experiencing distress symptoms if their families had preexisting relational difficulties and increased television viewing during the days after the attacks. Implications for research and preventive clinical interventions are discussed.