Citation

Dar KA, Iqbal N, Prakash A, Paul MA. Psychiatry Res. 2018; 261: 449-455.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Government Degree College, Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Electronic address: paulaltafs@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2018.01.023

PMID

29353771

Abstract

Exposure to disasters such as floods predisposes individuals for psychological distress such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Researchers exploring the association between flood-exposure and psychopathology attempt to understand the conditions and mechanisms through which potential benefits may occur. One such potential factor that may contribute to resilience in the face of disaster is social support system. However, there is scarcity of researches concerning the protective effects of social support following floods, in adult samples. Thus, the present study examined the moderating and indirect effects of perceived social support from family and friends in the association between flood-exposure and symptoms of PTSD and depression. The study was a cross sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from 87 adult survivors of flood fury in Kashmir valley, aged 30-40. High level of family and friends' support reduced the association between flood-exposure and symptoms of PTSD and depression whereas a low level of such support enhanced this association.

RESULTS also suggested that family support carried a significant proportion of variance in predicting depression. Given the potential for negative mental health outcomes following natural disasters, efforts to enhance adults' social support may be especially important.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; Flood-exposure; PTSD; Social support