Gratitude and internalizing/externalizing symptoms among adolescents after the Wenchuan earthquake

Mediating roles of social support and resilience

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21444559
AutoresDongfang Wang (0000-0001-8112-3149, School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science South China Normal University Guangzhou China), Xiaoyan Chen (0009-0001-2179-4968, South China Normal University), Xiao‐Yan Chen (School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science South China Normal University Guangzhou China), Shuyi Zhai (0000-0002-6560-0045, Faculty of Medicine McGill University Montreal Québec Canada), Fang Fan (0000-0002-5791-452X, School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science South China Normal University Guangzhou China, autor correspondente)
Ano2022
Volume94
Fascículo6
Páginas867-879
Data de publicação2022-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0140-1971 • E-ISSN: 1095-9254
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jad.12070
PMID35790008
OpenAlexW4283808856
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas6
Referências citadas58

Introduction Adolescents are susceptible to exhibiting internalizing and externalizing symptoms following natural disasters. However, little is known regarding factors that may influence these symptoms from the perspective of positive psychology. The current study examined whether and how social support and resilience mediated the association between gratitude and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Method The participants were 765 Chinese adolescents exposed to the Wenchuan earthquake (41.8% male, mean age 17.46 years), who were enrolled in a three‐wave longitudinal study with data spanning 1 year. All adolescents completed self‐report questionnaires on gratitude at 18 months postearthquake (T 18m ), social support and resilience at 24 months (T 24m ), and internalizing and externalizing symptoms at 18 months (T 18m ) and 30 months (T 30m ). Results The results showed that social support (T 24m ) and resilience (T 24m ) serially mediate the relationship between gratitude (T 18m ) and internalizing ( β = −.003, 95% confidence interval [CI]= −0.006, −0.001) or externalizing (T 30m ) symptoms ( β = −.004, 95% CI= −0.004, −0.001). Social support (T 24m ) acts as a mediator only between gratitude (T 18m ) and internalizing symptoms (T 30m ) ( β = −.021, 95% CI = −0.044, −0.004), while not being a significant predictor for externalizing symptoms (T 30m ). Conclusion By highlighting the mechanisms by which gratitude longitudinally attenuates adolescents' internalizing, externalizing, and total symptoms, our findings may provide clinical practitioners with important information regarding intervention design.

Developmental psychology · Gratitude · Psychological resilience · Psychotherapist · Social support · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health