Citation

Long LJ, Bistricky SL, Phillips CA, D'Souza JM, Richardson AL, Lai BS, Short M, Gallagher MW. J. Trauma. Stress 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.22555

PMID

32598564

Abstract

Natural disasters can lead to mental health problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Higher levels of loss and/or disruption and prior trauma exposure constitute risk factors for mental illness, whereas protective factors, including hope and resilience, support positive functioning. The present cross-sectional study used structural equation modeling to examine the relative influence of resilience and hope on mental health and well-being 1-3 months after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in August 2017, among a sample of 829 adults in the Greater Houston, Texas area. Resilience was more strongly associated with reduced PTSD symptoms, β = -.31, 95% CI [-.42, -.21], than was hope, β = -.17, 95% CI [-;.30, -.04], whereas hope was more strongly associated with components of well-being, βs =.47-.63. Hope was positively associated with posttraumatic growth, β =.30, 95% CI [.19,.41], whereas resilience was negatively associated with posttraumatic growth, β = -.24, 95% CI [-.35, -.12]. These associations remained consistent after considering risk factors, although more variance in trauma-related outcomes was risk factors were included in the model. The present results suggest that considering the influence of both risk and resilience factors provides an enhanced picture of postdisaster mental health.

Language: en