Predictors of resilience among adolescent disaster survivors: a path analysis

Aims: To investigate a theoretical model of risk and protective factors to predict resilience among adolescent disaster survivors. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Parent's consent and student's informed consent forms were distributed at seven schools in a postdisaster setting (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) between July–October 2017; those who agreed to participate had to complete the self-reported questionnaires. Demographic data were evaluated using descriptive statistical analyses and relationships among study variables were determined using a path analysis. Results: Results of the model test analysis indicated that six of the seven the hypothesized paths were supported by data from our samples and demonstrated significance on the path coefficients (p <.01). One path coefficient on the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and resilience was found to be insignificant (β = −0.002, p >.05). However, overall, our hypothesized model was retained, indicating empirical support and adequate model's fit indices for the theoretical model. Conclusions: Overall, the findings demonstrated the predictive roles of risk and protective factors in adolescent disaster survivors’ resilience. Impact: Resilience is known to be an important concept in recovering from long-term impacts following a disaster in adolescent populations, but its risk and protective factors have not been adequately explored. We found that PTSD symptoms influenced how adolescent disaster survivors developed defensive coping, social support had an indirect effect on resilience through courageous coping and defensive coping acted as a mediator between PTSD symptoms and courageous coping. These findings can help mental health professionals (i.e., community mental health nurses) promote intervention strategies to enhance resilience through improving coping skills in adolescent populations exposed to a disaster.