Citation

Lee SH, Nam HS, Kim HB, Kim EJ, Won SD, Chae JH. Yonsei Med. J. 2017; 58(6): 1211-1215.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. alberto@catholic.ac.kr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Yonsei University)

DOI

10.3349/ymj.2017.58.6.1211

PMID

29047246

Abstract

PURPOSE: Our research was designed to test and explore the relationships among embitterment, social support, and perceptions of meaning in life in the Danwon High School survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five Sewol ferry disaster survivors were eligible for participation, and were invited to participate in the study 28 months after the disaster. Forty-eight (64%) survivors (24 males, 24 females) completed questionnaires; the Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED) scale, the Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ).

RESULTS: PTED scores were negatively correlated with scores on the FSSQ and the Presence of Meaning (MLQ-P) (r=-0.43 and -0.40, respectively). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that FSSQ scores may fully mediate the effects of PTED scores on MLQ-P scores, given that the indirect effect was significant whereas the direct effect was not (95% confidence interval=-0.5912 to -0.0365).

CONCLUSION: These findings imply that therapies targeting embitterment may play a vital role in increasing positive cognitions, such as those related to perceived social support and the meaningfulness of life.

Language: en

Keywords

Danwon High School survivors; Sewol ferry disaster; meaning in life; posttraumatic embitterment; social support