Negative Coping, Positive Emotions, and Post-Disaster Resilience

Background. Recent studies on major disasters have begun to address quality of life(QOL) beyond mere pathology-based outcomes. QOL involve a wide range of subjective experiences concerning overall wellbeing (e.g., job, health, happiness with life events). Trauma scholars have also highlighted the need for studying resilience following community-based catastrophic events. Although emotional approach is important for intervention with memories, little research has explored the role of peritraumatic emotions and positive emotional traits in QOL after major hurricanes, destroying communities and causing tremendous distress. The literature has demonstrated that dispositional factors related to positivity may be protective for mental health. For the past few decades, various character strengths have been associated with psychological well-being and human flourishing theoretically and empirically. People who experience positive emotions are more likely to engage in positive behaviors, think more creatively and flexibly, and are more likely to seek out personal resources compared to those experiencing negative emotions. Accordingly, the present study investigated the role of peritraumatic emotions and positive emotional traits on QOL and depression among Latino and white victims in the communities impacted by double hurricanes, adjusting disaster-related stress experiences. Method. With strong support and engagement of communities that were directly and severely damaged by H-Maria and Michael, a cross-sectional dataset was collected from a sample of Latinos, white, and other minorities in Florida (N=566; mean age 41.3) in communities. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to reveal the association of peritraumatic emotional response, negative coping, and trait positive strength factors and (1) QOL (satisfaction with life), and (2) depression, following preplanned steps. Results. Bivariate analysis presents the cross-cultural differences between the two events. H-Maria was experienced by 100% Latinos (PRs), whereas the H-Michael was reported primarily by White Americans. Despite no statistical differences in peritraumatic negative emotions, the total number of disaster-related stressors, and reminded previous traumatic experiences, itemized comparisons indicate significant between-subgroup differences in itemized disaster-related stressors. Model-1 shows that victims who were younger, reported more peritraumatic negative emotions, and used two forms of negative coping were more likely report low QOL. Those who experienced greater peritraumatic positive emotions and trait hope, but not gratitude, had higher QOL. There was no influence of event- and individual-related time factors, nor that of other demographics, on QOL. Model-2 shows that two negative coping behaviors (self-blame and self-distraction) significantly predicted depressive symptoms in the final step. In addition, victims who reported more hurricane-related negative emotions and stressors were more likely to have depression, but those who reported both hope and gratitude were less likely to have symptoms. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that Latino and White victims who utilized less certain forms of negative coping strategies and who have well-developed positive traits (such as hope) can better deal with disarster-induced distress, moving more quickly toward post-traumatic well-being. To improve the health and well-being in disaster populations, future social work research should further how positive affect can function as an asset to counteract negative coping so as to improve interventions, as well as disaster relief efforts, in affected communities.