Citation

Mordeno IG, Galela DS, Nalipay MJN, Cue MP. Span. J. Psychol. 2018; 21: E61.

Affiliation

Professional Regulation Commission (Philippines).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Complutense University of Madrid, Publisher Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/sjp.2018.58

PMID

30477589

Abstract

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.

Language: en

Keywords

acute stress disorder; centrality of event; depression. trauma memory quality