Centrality of event and mental health outcomes in child and adolescent natural disaster survivors

• Imelu G. Mordeno ^[1] ; Debi S. Galela ^[1] ; Ma. Jenina N. Nalipay ^[2] ; Miriam P. Cue ^[3]
  1. [1] Mindanao State University

     Mindanao State University

     Marawi City, Filipinas

     
  2. [2] Philippine Normal University

     Philippine Normal University

     Santa Cruz, Filipinas

     
  3. [3] Professional Regulation Commission (Philippines)

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• Localización: The Spanish Journal of Psychology, ISSN 1138-7416, Nº 21, 2018, págs. 1-8
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The experience of trauma could be considered a central event in one’s life, such that it could be a core component of one’s identity and life story. Indeed, trauma memories are well-remembered, vivid, intense, and easily accessible (Berntsen & Rubin, 2006). The present study investigated the mediating role of sensory-based trauma memory quality in the relationship between centrality of event and mental health outcomes among child and adolescent survivors of a natural disaster (N = 225) in its immediate aftermath. Results of mediation analyses revealed that centrality of trauma event is related to symptoms of acute stress disorder and depression through sensory-based trauma memory quality (indirect effect 95% C.I. [.06, .11] and [.04, .10], respectively). These findings support the contention that centrality of event is associated to heightened accessibility and vividness of sensory-based trauma memory quality, which in turn is related to an increase in trauma-related symptoms in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, where the reminders of trauma are particularly salient in the survivors’ environment and daily activities.