Citation

Papadatou D, Giannopoulou I, Bitsakou P, Bellali T, Talias MA, Tselepi K. J. Trauma. Stress 2012; 25(1): 57-63.

Affiliation

Faculty of Nursing, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. dpap@nurs.uoa.gr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.21656

PMID

22298431

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined the factors associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms in 1,468 adolescents, 6 months after a wildfire. The rate of probable PTSD was 29.4% and 20% for probable depression. Findings on predisaster, disaster-related, and postdisaster factors revealed that disaster-related factors-specifically objective and perceived threat to self and others-were associated with symptoms of PTSD but not depression. Predisaster life events, postdisaster losses, and escape-oriented coping strategies were associated with higher levels of both PTSD and depression symptoms, while control-oriented coping and perceived social support were differentially associated with symptoms of and depression. Findings have implications for the assessment and treatment of traumatized and depressed adolescents after a disaster.

Language: en