Coping and Well-Being in Hispanic 9/11 World Trade Center Responders

Background and Purpose: The rescue and recovery efforts of the terrorist attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center required the labor of an ethnically diverse population. Research examining the events of 9/11 has found that Hispanics are at higher risk for PTSD. However, no studies have examined the relationship between the Hispanic responders’ coping and their well-being. Moreover, no studies have examined how acculturation is associated to varying coping styles and well-being among Hispanic WTC responders. This study examined differences in coping strategies used among Hispanics and its association to their well-being.

Methods: Data from 806 Hispanic WTC responders who were seen at the Mount Sinai WTC Health Program and participated in a web-based survey were analyzed. Participant responses to the visit 1 (V1) WTC health monitoring assessment, which were collected a median of 2.8 years after 9/11/2001 and the web-based survey, administered a median of 12.2 years after 9/11/2001 were merged and used for analysis in this study. Multiple regressions were used to compare differences in coping and well-being among Hispanics by acculturation, while controlling for trauma exposure, clinical and psychosocial characteristics.

Results: Key findings suggest some differences in coping among Hispanics by acculturation. Also noteworthy, is the varied use of adaptive and maladaptive coping skills among Hispanics by acculturation. However, there were no significant differences in their use of religious coping. Further, the findings suggest that post-traumatic growth is prevalent among Hispanics who completed the survey in Spanish.  

Conclusion and Implications: The study findings are consistent with some of the debate on the positive and negative effects of acculturation on Hispanics. Further, despite the adversities experienced by Hispanic responders and their risk for PTSD, the findings revealed that their use of positive religious coping and active coping support their post-traumatic growth. Mental health professionals may want to consider the role of religion when treating Hispanics.