An exploration of posttraumatic growth, loneliness, depression, resilience, and social capital among survivors of Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Investigating the interplay of loneliness, computer-mediated communication, online social capital, and well-being: insights from a COVID-19 lockdown study

Introduction

Recent studies have found that there is scope for communication technologies to increase online social capital. Although studies have linked online social capital and mental well-being, there is a need to identify the causal pathways within this relationship. This study explores the role of loneliness in the relationship between computer-mediated communication, online social capital and well-being.

Methods

The study used an online questionnaire and had 217 participants. William's 2006 scale was used to measure individuals' online social capital, and structural equational modelling (SEM) was used to explore the relationship between computer-mediated communication, use, levels of loneliness, online social capital and well-being. This study was conducted remotely during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland.

Results

High levels of online communication mitigated the otherwise negative effects of loneliness on well-being when online interaction fostered online social capital.

Conclusion

Overall, the proposed model offers qualified support for the continued analysis of technology-mediated communication as a potential source for building online social capital and improving the well-being of particular individuals with high levels of loneliness.

Examining the role of community resilience and social capital on mental health in public health emergency and disaster response: a scoping review

The ability of the public to remain psychologically resilient in the face of public health emergencies and disasters (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) is a key factor in the effectiveness of a national response to such events. Community resilience and social capital are often perceived as beneficial and ensuring that a community is socially and psychologically resilient may aid emergency response and recovery. This review presents a synthesis of literature which answers the following research questions: How are community resilience and social capital quantified in research?; What is the impact of community resilience on mental wellbeing?; What is the impact of infectious disease outbreaks, disasters and emergencies on community resilience and social capital?; and, What types of interventions enhance community resilience and social capital?A scoping review procedure was followed. Searches were run across Medline, PsycInfo, and EMBASE, with search terms covering both community resilience and social capital, public health emergencies, and mental health. 26 papers met the inclusion criteria.The majority of retained papers originated in the USA, used a survey methodology to collect data, and involved a natural disaster. There was no common method for measuring community resilience or social capital. The association between community resilience and social capital with mental health was regarded as positive in most cases. However, we found that community resilience, and social capital, were initially negatively impacted by public health emergencies and enhanced by social group activities.Several key recommendations are proposed based on the outcomes from the review, which include: the need for a standardised and validated approach to measuring both community resilience and social capital; that there should be enhanced effort to improve preparedness to public health emergencies in communities by gauging current levels of community resilience and social capital; that community resilience and social capital should be bolstered if areas are at risk of disasters or public health emergencies; the need to ensure that suitable short-term support is provided to communities with high resilience in the immediate aftermath of a public health emergency or disaster; the importance of conducting robust evaluation of community resilience initiatives deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth in newly graduated nurses: the mediating role of compassion satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Nurses' secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth are closely related, but for newly graduated nurses, there are few reports to evaluate the specific path between these three. The aim of this study was to investigate examine the mediating role of compassion satisfaction in secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among newly graduated nurses.

METHODS

From March 2021 to May 2021, a total of 330 newly graduated nurses from five tertiary hospitals in China were enrolled, and asked to complete questionnaires regarding secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples T-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation model were used in this study. A STROBE checklist was used to report findings.

RESULTS

The scores of secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth of newly graduated nurses were 27.11 ± 4.94 (score range: 10-50), 31.89 ± 6.22 (score range: 10-50) and 56.47 ± 20.41 (score range: 0-100), respectively. Additionally, structural equation modeling showed that compassion satisfaction mediated the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth with the partial mediating effect of 0.089.

CONCLUSIONS

Newly graduated nurses may experience moderate secondary traumatic stress, but their posttraumatic growth is at a low level, and compassion satisfaction significantly affects the relationship between the two. Nursing managers should strengthen psychological evaluation, and promote their posttraumatic growth by improving their level of compassion satisfaction.

Posttraumatic Growth, Dissociation and Identification With The Aggressor Among Childhood Abuse Survivors

Childhood abuse puts individuals at risk for psychopathology and psychiatric symptoms such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety symptoms. At the same time, research has indicated that some survivors report positive transformations in the aftermath of their trauma, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Yet the essence of PTG reports is questionable, and some scholars claim that it may reflect maladaptive illusory qualities. Furthermore, according to a recent theoretical model, PTG might be dissociation-based and related to survivors' bonds with their perpetrators. This study aimed to explore these claims by assessing PTG, dissociation, and identification with the aggressor (IWA), as well as PTSD and anxiety symptoms. An online survey was conducted among 597 adult childhood abuse survivors. Study variables were assessed via self-report measures. Analyses indicated positive associations between PTG, dissociation, and IWA. Three distinct profiles were found, reflecting high, medium, and low scores on PTG, dissociation, and IWA. Profile type explained PTSD and anxiety symptoms above and beyond gender, age, and abuse severity. These findings suggest that whereas some childhood abuse survivors might experience a positive transformation subsequent to their trauma, others' PTG reports might reflect dissociative mechanisms and pathological attachments to their perpetrators, and thus might be maladaptive.

Validation of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale in Peruvian old adults: a study based on SEM and IRT multidimensional models

Loneliness is a public health problem. Its assessment is important to identify older adults who experience greater loneliness and appropriate interventions can be carried out. The De Jong Gierveld Solitude Scale (DJGLS) is one of the most widely used, at least in the European context, to measure loneliness. Although the Spanish version of the DJGLS has shown reliability and validity in Spanish samples of older adults, there is no evidence of adequacy in the Latin American context. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the DJGLS in Peruvian older adults. Specifically, factorial validity, internal consistency and criterion-related validity were studied, based on a double analytical perspective: Classical Test Theory (SEM models) and Item Response Theory. The participants were 235 Peruvian older adults with ages ranging from 61 to 91 years old (Mean = 72.69, SD = 6.68) that assisted to Centers for the Elderly in the city of Trujillo, Peru. Together with the DJGLS, information from the three-item UCLA loneliness scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Brief Resilient Coping Scale and the Patient Health Questionnarie-2 was also gathered. The results support a one-dimensional structure of the DJGLS but with the presence of method effects associated to the negatively worded items. Additionally, the IRT multidimensional model applied also indicated the presence of a second dimension related to these negative items. Finally, other evidences of reliability and validity were adequate. In summary, the DJGLS may be considered a reliable and valid instrument to be used in the Peruvian (older adults) context.

Mechanisms of recovery: Community perceptions of change and growth following multiple disasters

Introduction and purpose

The geographic location of the Gulf South leaves communities in continuous threat, response, and recovery disaster cycles. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 provided an opportunity to study disaster mental health. Less than 5 years after the storm, many Hurricane Katrina survivors were impacted again by the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill. Despite adversities impacting Gulf communities, over 90% of participants reported they were resilient. The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to strengths following adversity in communities affected by repeated disasters. Specifically, we focused on survivor perceptions of personal, spiritual, or community changes in efforts to describe community resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG).

Methods

Participants were recruited through a quantitative survey and community flyers. Participants represented southeastern Louisiana, in areas impacted by hurricanes and the oil spill—for a total of five focus groups and 41 participants. Focus groups began by asking each participant to provide a brief overview of their disaster survival story and three additional guiding strengths-based questions. Data were transcribed using Dragon Speech Recognition software. A total of 963 unique responses were analyzed and coded.

Results

The following themes were identified: connectedness (n = 259), coping (n = 94), spirituality (n = 60), adaptability (n = 47), and self-reliance (n = 23). Participants noted a growth mindset from the disasters and also acknowledged coinciding negative experiences (n = 154) associated with community change and loss, where subthemes included change in connectedness (n = 97), crime (n = 26), and feeling like an outsider (n = 31).

Discussion and implications

These findings help scholars and mental health practitioners better understand the lived experiences of PTG in a community of survivors impacted by recurring traumatic experiences. In keeping with previous literature, PTG and negative experiences associated with trauma are not mutually exclusive, but occur simultaneously. Our results offer a holistic picture of coping with cumulative or repeated traumas and suggest that connectedness, coping, and spirituality provide important buffers to negative psychosocial outcomes.

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.

Posttraumatic growth and postpartum depression in women after childbirth: The moderating role of postpartum negative life events

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the implications of postpartum negative life events on postpartum depression and posttraumatic growth in women after childbirth.

METHODS

A sample of 280 postpartum women at a level III hospital in China provided data on postpartum depression, negative life events, and posttraumatic growth with a cross-sectional design.

RESULTS

The scores of both postpartum depression and negative life events exhibited a quadratic correlation with posttraumatic growth in women after childbirth, and negative life events significantly moderated the associations between depression and overall posttraumatic growth and its three dimensions: personal strength, spirit change, and relating to others.

CONCLUSIONS

Women can experience positive psychological growth after childbirth, and this study provides new evidence of an interaction between postpartum depression and negative life events in the prediction of psychological growth, highlighting the moderating role of negative life events. This study could help direct mental health professionals to target interventions that provide more psychological support to reduce the impact of depression and negative life events, which will be conducive to improving women's psychological growth.

Prevalence and influencing factors of posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence: A cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to (i) identify the level of posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence, (ii) clarify the relationship between nurses' posttraumatic growth and compassion satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and (iii) determine the influencing factors for posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate 726 nurses suffering from workplace violence in 10 tertiary hospitals by using demographic, work-related information, lifestyle questionnaire, simplified Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and professional quality of life scale. In the findings, (i) the participants' posttraumatic growth scores were 57.29 ± 21.56, while the compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress scores were 32.82 ± 6.80, 27.17 ± 5.53, and 26.67 ± 5.29, respectively, (ii) posttraumatic growth was positively correlated with compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress, and negatively correlated with burnout, and (iii) compassion satisfaction, sleep hours per day, department, scheduling, alcohol, secondary traumatic stress, children, and work hours per day were influencing factors of posttraumatic growth, which explained 36.3% of the total variance. Our study indicates that Chinese nurses may experience moderate levels of compassionate satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and low levels of posttraumatic growth after suffering from workplace violence, while the posttraumatic growth of nurses suffering from workplace violence is more affected by work-related variables and lifestyle-related variables, but less affected by other sociodemographic variables. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the psychological evaluation of nurses and adopt targeted strategies to promote nurses' posttraumatic growth.

An Approach to the Unified Conceptualization, Definition, and Characterization of Social Resilience

The purpose of this article is to offer a synthesis of the characteristics of social resilience, integrating the different approaches received from the social sciences. We propose to focus this conceptual framework as a previous and necessary step for the later study of the possible ways of promotion of this social resilience, that will help to strengthen the welfare and public health systems. The paper explores the difficulties in defining these characteristics, identifying their constituent elements. After this, the paper study the challenges to the future development of resilience models, showing the ways that offer some advances. Finally, we conclude that the social resilience must be conceived as a dynamic, multi-level, and evolutionary process if we are to help societies not only cope with adversity but also to adapt and transform themselves.

Finding the power within and without: How can we strengthen resilience against symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in Australian parents during the COVID-19 pandemic?

OBJECTIVE

The present study investigated the association between resilience and indicators of mental health in a large sample of Australian parents at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Data were from a large longitudinal cohort study of Australian parents of a child aged 0-18 years collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was used to measure resilience, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) measured distress (i.e., composite of stress, anxiety and depression scales). Other factors assessed included: age, gender, being born overseas, number of children, self-assessed introversion, social, educational and economic variables, family resources, positive affect and emotional regulation, external social support, and partner social support. Hierarchical regression models and a moderation analysis were used to assess the aims.

RESULTS

Of 2110 parents, 1701 (80.6%) were female. The mean age was 38 years old (SD = 7, range = 19-69). High loneliness was a key contributor to distress. The level of social support received did add significantly to distress, with greater assistance associated with lower stress and anxiety (both p < .01). Partner support significantly moderated the relationship between resilience and depression; however, this relationship is of unlikely clinical significance due to its small statistical effect.

CONCLUSION

Interventions targeting resilience against distress and mental health of parents at the time of pandemics should focus on reducing loneliness while working with the constraints of imposed social isolation and might include partners. Qualitative studies are needed to understand the various useful and not useful aspects of partner's support.

Chronic Mental Health Sequelae of Climate Change Extremes: A Case Study of the Deadliest Californian Wildfire

Introduction. Weather-related disasters, such as wildfires exacerbated by a rise in global temperatures, need to be better studied in terms of their mental health impacts. This study focuses on the mental health sequelae of the deadliest wildfire in California to date, the Camp Fire of 2018. Methods. We investigated a sample of 725 California residents with different degrees of disaster exposure and measured mental health using clinically validated scales for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data were collected at a chronic time-point, six months post-wildfire. We used multiple regression analyses to predict the mental health outcomes based on self-reported fire exposure. Additionally, we included vulnerability and resilience factors in hierarchical regression analyses. Results. Our primary finding is that direct exposure to large scale fires significantly increased the risk for mental health disorders, particularly for PTSD and depression. Additionally, the inclusion of vulnerability and resilience factors in the hierarchical regression analyses led to the significantly improved prediction of all mental health outcomes. Childhood trauma and sleep disturbances exacerbated mental health symptoms. Notably, self-reported resilience had a positive effect on mental health, and mindfulness was associated with significantly lower depression and anxiety symptoms. Conclusion. Overall, our study demonstrated that climate-related extreme events, such as wildfires, can have severe mental illness sequelae. Moreover, we found that pre-existing stressful life events, resilient personality traits and lifestyle factors can play an important role in the prevalence of psychopathology after such disasters. Unchecked climate change projected for the latter half of this century may severely impact the mental wellbeing of the global population, and we must find ways to foster individual resiliency.

Broadening the Mandate of the Incident Command System to Address Community Mental and Behavioral Health Effects as Part of the Federal Response to Disasters

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In the United States, the Federal Incident Command System (ICS) directs response to major oil spills. Its initial imperative is to prevent immediate impacts on human health and safety. Subsequently, the ICS primarily turns its attention to environmental concerns, including considering vulnerable ecosystems. There is a growing body of evidence that disasters such as major oil spills lead to adverse psychosocial effects; yet, preventing such effects has not been formally incorporated into ICS disaster mitigation considerations.

RECENT FINDINGS

Community mental and behavioral effects are increasingly recognized as a significant impact of disasters. Standardized ecosystem analytical frameworks are key to ICS responses to its mandate for environmental protection. Similar frameworks have only begun to be developed for mental and behavioral effects. Providing the ICS with a formal mandate would likely lead to the prevention of community mental and behavioral effects being more systematically incorporated into ICS disaster responses.

Posttraumatic Stress and Depression in the Aftermath of Environmental Disasters: A Review of Quantitative Studies Published in 2018

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

As interest in the mental health consequences of environmental disasters increases, this review aimed to summarize peer-reviewed studies published in 2018 on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms after such events.

RECENT FINDINGS

Notable trends in the past year of research included studies focusing on vulnerable populations (e.g., persons with preexisting physical health conditions), assessing the cumulative impact of exposure to multiple disasters, exploring pathway leading to PTSD and depression symptoms, and evaluating the effectiveness of post-disaster interventions. Over 100 articles were identified, focused on 40 disasters that occurred between 1982 and 2017. Prevalence estimates ranged from 0 to 70.51% for PTSD and 1.9 to 59.5% for depression. Consistent predictors of adverse outcomes included female gender, socioeconomic disadvantage, high disaster exposure, and low psychosocial resources. Further research that expands upon recent advances in the literature is critical given the large proportion of the world's population exposed to disasters and the increasing incidence of such events.

Evaluating a community fire as human-made vs. natural disaster moderates the relationship between peritraumatic distress and both PTSD symptoms and posttraumatic growth

Objective: This study examined whether attributing a cause of a community fire to a human-made vs. natural disaster moderated the association between peritraumatic distress (PD) and posttraumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms, as well as between PD and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Method: Participants lived in Israeli communities affected by wide-scale fires in November 2016. At Time 1 (within one month of the fires), 390 participants completed measures. At Time 2 (four months after the fires), 223 of the original participants completed follow-up-questionnaires. Participants reported their PD symptoms at Time 1, and their beliefs regarding the cause of the fire, PTSD symptoms, and PTG at Time 2. Results: Higher levels of PD at Time 1 were associated with higher levels of both PTSD symptoms and PTG at Time 2. Participants who believed that the fires were more of a human-made than natural disaster had stronger associations between PD and PTSD symptoms, and stronger associations between PD and PTG. Conclusions: Attributions regarding the cause of a disaster may be related to both PTSD symptoms as well as PTG. Balanced and responsible public announcements regarding the causes of traumatic events may reduce the deleterious effects in the aftermath of a traumatic event.

Gender differences in the interaction effect of community resources and attitudes toward seeking professional help on posttraumatic stress, depression, and posttraumatic growth

The current study examined the gender differences in the interaction effect of community resources and attitudes toward seeking professional help in predicting posttraumatic stress, depression, and posttraumatic growth for female and male survivors of Hurricane Harvey. Participants were 413 adults who reported directly experiencing Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall on August 26, 2017. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants approximately 16 months after the hurricane via an online survey. Among men, significant interaction effects of community resources and attitudes toward seeking help on posttraumatic stress, depression, and posttraumatic growth were found even after statistically controlling for age, educational attainment, income, marital status, and racial minority status. Among women, no interaction effects were found. Women with open attitudes toward seeking psychological treatment experienced higher posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth, and higher resources were positively associated with growth. The current study raises important implications on gender differences on community resources and attitudes toward seeking professional help after a hurricane.

Post-Traumatic Growth Following Exposure to Memorial Reports of the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake: The Moderating Roles of Self-Esteem and Long-Term PTSD Symptoms

Media exposure during a traumatic event has been found to be associated with negative psychological consequences. However, the post-disaster role of the mass media and the possible positive psychological consequences of media exposure has received less attention. In the present study, we hypothesized that exposure to memorial media reports would lead to improved post-traumatic growth (PTG). Further, we evaluated the moderating role of self-esteem and long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the relationship between media exposure and PTG. Using a cross-sectional design, we surveyed individuals (N = 1000, mean age = 45.62, 43.5% male) who were recruited from disaster-affected communities ten years after the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake which was the largest country-level trauma in the past three decades. Results revealed that individuals with lower self-esteem or lower PTSD symptoms would have higher psychological growth with greater exposure to memorial news reports. For individuals who reported having both high levels of self-esteem and PTSD symptoms, the relationship between media exposure and PTG was negative. These findings help present trauma in a new light, particularly regarding the rapid and instantaneous new coverage of the digital age. This study also has multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural, and clinical implications for the fields of psychology, public health, and communications.

Social support, interpersonal, and community dynamics following disasters caused by natural hazards

The most essential, and possibly the most reliably present, characteristic of all disasters is that they exert strong impact on social relationships. Two very different, at times conflicting, dynamic processes emerge in their aftermath: the initial outpouring of immense mutual helping and solidarity, followed by a subsequent sense of loss in the quality of interpersonal and community relationships. This review of recent findings in the area of disaster mental health confirmed two major patterns of social support dynamics following disastrous events resulting from natural hazards: a mobilization of received social support and deterioration of perceived social support and sense of community. Social support is a critical resource helping people cope with natural disasters. Its psychologically and socially protective functions for survivors and their communities unfold in a complex matrix of benefits and liabilities.