TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - The role of anger and ongoing stressors in mental health following a natural disaster
JO  - Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
A1  - Forbes, David
A1  - Alkemade, Nathan
A1  - Waters, Elizabeth
A1  - Gibbs, Lisa
A1  - Gallagher, Colin
A1  - Pattison, Phillipa
A1  - Lusher, Dean
A1  - MacDougall, Colin
A1  - Harms, Louise
A1  - Block, Karen
A1  - Snowdon, Elyse
A1  - Kellet, Connie
A1  - Sinnott, Vikki
A1  - Ireton, Greg
A1  - Richardson, John
A1  - Bryant, Richard A.
SP  - 706
EP  - 713
VL  - 49
IS  - 8
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Research has established the mental health sequelae following disaster, with studies now focused on understanding factors that mediate these outcomes. This study focused on anger, alcohol, subsequent life stressors and traumatic events as mediators in the development of mental health disorders following the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, Australia's worst natural disaster in over 100 years. <br><br>METHOD: This study examined data from 1017 (M = 404, F = 613) adult residents across 25 communities differentially affected by the fires and participating in the Beyond Bushfires research study. Data included measures of fire exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, alcohol abuse, anger and subsequent major life stressors and traumatic events. Structural equation modeling assessed the influence of factors mediating the effects of fire exposure on mental health outcomes. <br><br>RESULTS: Three mediation models were tested. The final model recorded excellent fit and observed a direct relationship between disaster exposure and mental health outcomes (b =.192, p <.001) and mediating relationships via Anger (b =.102, p <.001) and Major Life Stressors (b =.128, p <.001). Each gender was compared with multiple group analyses and while the mediation relationships were still significant for both genders, the direct relationship between exposure and outcome was no longer significant for men (p =.069), but remained significant (b =.234, p <.001) for women. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Importantly, anger and major life stressors mediate the relationship between disaster exposure and development of mental health problems. The findings have significant implications for the assessment of anger post disaster, the provision of targeted anger-focused interventions and delivery of government and community assistance and support in addressing ongoing stressors in the post-disaster context to minimize subsequent mental health consequences.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0004-8674
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867414565478
ID  - ref1
ER  -