Citation

Sheehy KA, Hruska B, Waldrep EE, Pacella-LaBarbara ML, George RL, Benight CC, Delahanty DL. Anxiety Stress Coping 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10615806.2023.2199208

PMID

37128653

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Social support confers a protective effect against elevated PTSD symptomatology following injury. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which social support conveys this protective mental health effect in injury survivors. Coping self-efficacy is linked to both social support and PTSD symptomatology but has not been examined.

OBJECTIVE: To test coping self-efficacy as a mechanism for the relationship between social support and PTSD symptom severity among injury survivors.

METHOD AND DESIGN: Participants consisted of 61 injury survivors (62.3% male, 72.1% White) admitted to a Level-1 Trauma Center. Social support was assessed at 2-weeks post-injury; coping self-efficacy at 6-weeks post-injury; and PTSD symptom severity at 3-months post-injury.

RESULTS: A statistically significant indirect effect was found for the social support - coping self-efficacy - PTSD symptomatology pathway, providing evidence of mediation even after controlling for age, sex, race, and education (B = -0.51, SE = 0.18, CI = -0.92, -0.20).

CONCLUSIONS: Social support may exert an effect on PTSD symptom severity post-injury through its connection with coping self-efficacy. Coping self-efficacy represents an important intervention target following injury for those survivors with lower social support who are at risk for elevated PTSD symptom severity levels.

Language: en

Keywords

Injury; posttraumatic stress disorder; social support; coping self-efficacy