@article{ref1,
title="Examining moderators of the relationship between social support and self-reported  PTSD symptoms: a meta-analysis",
journal="Psychological bulletin",
year="2020",
author="Zalta, Alyson K. and Tirone, Vanessa and Orlowska, Daria and Blais, Rebecca K. and Lofgreen, Ashton and Klassen, Brian and Held, Philip and Stevens, Natalie R. and Adkins, Elizabeth and Dent, Amy L.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Social support is one of the most robust predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder  (PTSD). Yet, little is known about factors that moderate the relationship between  social support and PTSD symptom severity. This meta-analysis estimated the overall  effect size of the relationship between self-reported social support and PTSD  severity and tested meaningful demographic, social support, and trauma  characteristics that may moderate this association using both cross-sectional and  longitudinal effect sizes. A comprehensive search identified 139 studies with 145  independent cross-sectional effect sizes representing 62,803 individuals and 37  studies with 38 independent longitudinal effect sizes representing 25,792  individuals. Study samples had to comprise trauma-exposed, nonclinical adult  populations to be included in the analysis. Cross-sectional and longitudinal  analyses revealed a near medium overall effect size (rcross = -.27; 95% CI [-.30,  -.24]; rlong = -.25; 95% CI [-.28, -.21]) with a high degree of heterogeneity  (cross-sectional I2 = 91.6, longitudinal I2 = 86.5). Both cross-sectional and  longitudinal moderator analyses revealed that study samples exposed to natural  disasters had a weaker effect size than samples exposed to other trauma types (e.g.,  combat, interpersonal violence), studies measuring negative social reactions had a  larger effect size than studies assessing other types of social support, and veteran  samples revealed larger effect sizes than civilian samples. Several other  methodological and substantive moderators emerged that revealed a complex  relationship between social support and PTSD severity. These findings have important  clinical implications for the types of social support interventions that could  mitigate PTSD severity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights  reserved).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0033-2909",
doi="10.1037/bul0000316",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000316"
}