Social Support, Discrimination, and Coping as Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Reactions in Youth Survivors of Hurricane Katrina

Abstract

This study examined the influence of aspects of the post–Hurricane Katrina recovery environment (i.e., discrimination, social support) and coping behaviors on children's posttraumatic stress reactions (symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], anxiety, and depression). Data corresponding to 46 youth (M = 11.43 years; 39% girls; 33% African American, 67% European American) revealed that greater helpfulness from extrafamilial sources of social support predicted lower levels of child-rated symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. A positive predictive relation was found between helpfulness from professional support sources and PTSD, perhaps suggesting that parents whose children were experiencing higher PTSD symptom levels sought professional support and reported it to be helpful. Youths' avoidant coping behaviors predicted both PTSD and anxiety symptoms. Discrimination, active coping, and familial support did not predict any of the posttraumatic stress reactions assessed in this study.

This study was funded in part by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Institute for Social Science Research awarded to Carl F. Weems and Armando A. Pina.

Notes

¹In Weems, Pina et al. (2007), it was found that number of hurricane exposure events and sex (being female) predicted PTSD symptoms. Pre-Katrina trait anxiety and negative affect predicted postdisaster PTSD symptoms and worry symptoms. Predisaster trait anxiety also predicted postdisaster depression symptoms.

Note: Percentages sharing the same subscript are significantly different (p < .01).

Note: Means sharing the same subscripts are statistically significantly different from each other. t _a(44) = 3.13, p < .01; t _b(39) = 4.43, p < .001; t _c(38) = 2.17, p < .05. PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; SS = social support.

Note: N = 46. PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; SS = social support.

∗p < .05

∗∗p < .01

Note: In Weems, Pina et al. (2007), we reported regression coefficients corresponding to the pre-Katrina variables conceptualized in this study's analyses as covariates. PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; SS = social support.

^a Model Adj. R ² = .71.

^b Model Adj. R ² = .47.

^c Model Adj. R ² = .44.