Posttraumatic Growth in the 2010 Haitian Earthquake Survivors and Its Relationship With Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Three Years After the Earthquake

Interaction between posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth among adolescents who experience an earthquake: A repeated longitudinal study

For adolescents who experience an earthquake, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) often co-occur. However, no study has yet examined how the interaction between them changes from the short term to the long term after an earthquake. This study conducted six surveys among local adolescents across three waves after the Wenchuan earthquake, and a directed network of PTSS and PTG co-occurrence was constructed for each wave. It was found that the bridge nodes between PTSSs and PTG were different for each wave. The connection between PTSSs and PTG became loose over time. The incubation effect of PTSSs on PTG was sustained until the middle term but was not observed in the long term. The suppression effect of PTSSs on PTG was only observed in the short term. PTG not only alleviated PTSSs but also exacerbated PTSSs. Finally, the effect of PTSSs on PTG was much stronger than that of PTG on PTSSs. This study suggests that efforts should be made to alleviate specific PTSSs or facilitate specific PTG elements among adolescents for different terms after an earthquake, and PTG is more likely to be an outcome of trauma rather than a strategy for coping with trauma.

Psychological resilience and posttraumatic growth in adolescent survivors of earthquake: A 10-year cohort study

This 10-year cohort study explored whether individual differences in resilience during early stages post-earthquake could have diverse impacts on future PTG and whether the impacts varied by sex. 1357 Chinese adolescent survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake were assessed on their resilience at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months post-earthquake. 799 participants responded to an online survey 10 years later, and 744 of which provided useable data for subsequent analysis. Resilience trajectories were modeled using the latent class growth analysis. Linear regressions were used to test the predictive effects of different resilience trajectories on subsequent PTG. Of 744 samples (M_age=15.44, SD = 0.66 at baseline), 59.1% were females. Three trajectories of resilience were identified, including low resilience (19.8%), moderate resilience (58.7%), and high resilience (21.5%). Highly resilient participants reported greater PTG 10 years later (β = 0.12, 95%CI 0.60-6.08) after adjusting for demographic variables, earthquake exposure, negative life events, and mental health problems. Moreover, the same findings only existed in males (β = 0.22, 95%CI 1.26-11.01). Our findings highlight the importance of classifying survivors by resilience trajectories in order to better account for different implications on future PTG. Moreover, sex-specific programs are needed to provide tailored intervention.

The Effect of Traumatic Loss on Posttraumatic Growth Among 2011 Van Earthquake Survivors: The Mediating Role of Posttraumatic Stress

OBJECTIVE

Posttraumatic growth (PTG), defined as a positive change after a traumatic event, has become the subject of various studies, and its relationship with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) has been extensively investigated. However, studies have indicated differences in the relationship between PTG and PTSS. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of PTSS in the relationship between the number of traumatic losses and PTG among the 2011 Van earthquake survivors.

METHODS

The sample of this study consisted of 917 participants who experienced the 2011 Van earthquake. A personal information form, impact of event scale-revised (IES-R), and posttraumatic growth inventory (PTGI) were used as data collection tools.

RESULTS

Survivors with traumatic loss were found to have higher PTSS and PTG than survivors without traumatic loss. The mean scores of the PTGI subscales were higher among survivors with traumatic loss except for changes in self-perception. A positive correlation was found between IES-R and PTGI total scores. In the regression analysis, it was found that PTSS played a mediating role in the relationship between the number of traumatic losses and PTG.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that PTG is possible with the presence of PTSS. Mental health professionals assisting survivors with traumatic loss should take the enhancement of PTG into consideration in addition to their efforts to reduce PTSS.

Implications of posttraumatic growth for the treatment of comorbid substance abuse among survivors of traumatic experiences

OBJECTIVES

Research suggests that individuals treated for substance use disorders are not routinely assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology despite high rates of comorbidity. One area of research that has been overlooked in theory, research, and practice on the comorbidity of substance use disorders and PTSD is the study of post-traumatic growth. The purpose of the current study is to explore the relevance of post-traumatic growth for the treatment of comorbid substance use disorders among individuals suffering from traumatic stress or PTSD.

METHOD

A sample of 256 adults who survived the 2010 earthquake in Haiti completed measures of coping and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). The study regressed a measure of substance use coping on the scores on the subscales of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory adjusting for PTSD symptoms, general coping, and religious coping.

RESULTS

The findings suggest that one PTGI subscale, appreciation of life, was a statistically significant predictor of substance use coping among trauma survivors.

CONCLUSION

The principles of post-traumatic growth may have clinical implications for comorbid substance use among survivors of traumatic events. This study provides a path forward in efforts to create rapprochement between basic research and clinical services in the treatment of comorbid substance use in trauma survivors.

Mental Health Among Children Older than 10 Years Exposed to the Haiti 2010 Earthquake: a Critical Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is evidence that the exposure to a major natural disaster such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti may have devastating short- and long-term effects on children's mental health and overall development. This review summarizes what has been reported in the past 3 years (2017-2020) regarding emotional, psychological, and behavioral effects of exposure to this particular earthquake on children 10 years and older.

RECENT FINDINGS

Twenty-six articles were screened, of which twenty-one were selected for final analysis. The main themes addressed in the literature over the 3 years concerned prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, determinants of resilience factors, prevalence of sexual violence as well as prenatal exposure, and subsequent autism behaviors/symptoms. The majority of the findings analyzed in this review on mental health in young Haitian survivors of the 2010 earthquake came from cross-sectional studies conducted in West region of Haiti, spefically Port-au-Prince. There was a paucity of longitudinal and translational data available. The results of this critical review can be used to inform disaster preparedness programs with the aim of protecting children's development and mental health, which are much needed on this disaster-prone island.

Post-traumatic growth among 5195 adolescents at 8.5 years after exposure to the Wenchuan earthquake: Roles of post-traumatic stress disorder and self-esteem

We evaluated the level of post-traumatic growth in a large sample of Chinese adolescent earthquake survivors (n = 5195) and relationships among self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, and post-traumatic growth. This cross-sectional study indicated that the prevalence of post-traumatic growth among adolescent survivors was 14.8 percent. Post-traumatic growth was independently associated with self-esteem, severity of exposures, and avoidance facets of post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder was found to be partially mediated by self-esteem on post-traumatic growth; and post-traumatic stress disorder was also a mediator between earthquake exposure and post-traumatic growth. This study suggests that future longitudinal research and clinical practice should test whether promoting self-esteem can enhance post-traumatic stress disorder treatment.