TY - JOUR PY - 2023// TI - Life stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms mediate the association between disaster exposure and identity-related distress in emerging adults JO - Journal of American college health A1 - Janson, Melissa A1 - Felix, Erika D. A1 - Kaniasty, Krzysztof A1 - Lugo-Hernández, Eduardo A. A1 - Rosa-Rodríguez, Yarimar A1 - Canino, Glorisa SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - OBJECTIVE: The current multi-university, multi-disaster study examined the impact of natural disaster exposure on identity-related distress through life stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Participants: Young adult university students (n = 665, 77% female, M = 20.5 years old) participated in Wave (W) 1. Half provided contact information for follow-up, and 136 university students participated in W2.

METHOD: University students in the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico were asked about disaster exposure, life stressors, PTSS, and identity-related distress at W1 (M = 9.7 months post-disaster) and identity-related distress at W2 (M = 12.4 months after W1). Two serial mediation models assessed the indirect effect of disaster exposure on W1 and W2 identity-related distress through life stressors and PTSS.

RESULTS: Disaster exposure impacted identity-related distress concurrently and longitudinally through increasing life stressors since disaster and PTSS.

CONCLUSION: Potential supportive services should address identity-related distress among disaster-exposed young adults with PTSS.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0744-8481 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2155826 ID - ref1 ER -