Traumatic Exposure and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

ABSTRACT

This study examined the moderating role of cognitive flexibility between earthquake exposure and psychological well-being. The participants were 491 adolescents from three middle schools in Sichuan. Multivariable, hierarchical linear regressions were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that there were significant differences in psychological well-being for the dimension of relocation of school (T = −3.09, p < 0.01), damage to property (F = 2.73, p < 0.05) and damage to school (F = 5.76, p < 0.01). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that cognitive flexibility moderated the relation between being hurt during the earthquake and psychological well-being (B = 1.01, SE = 0.31, T = 3.22, p < 0.01).

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive flexibility
• moderating effect
• psychological well-being

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fang Fu

Fang Fu is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Development and Public Policy at Fudan University. She received her Ph.D. in social work from Hong Kong University. Her research interests include the psychological well-being of adolescents after traumatic exposure; medical social work and social work with children.

Amy Chow

Amy Chow is an Associate Professor in Social Work and Social Administration Department at Hong Kong University. Her research interests include bereavement; end-of-life care; death and dying; life and death education and research self-efficacy.