Modeling the Structural Relationships Between Trauma Experience with Substance Use Tendency, Depression Symptoms, and Suicidal Thoughts in Individuals with Earthquake Trauma Experience: The Mediatory Role of Peritraumatic Dissociation and Experiential Avoidance

Abstract

AbstractBackground:A significant portion of studies are mainly focused on the formation of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after earthquake trauma. This is while earthquakes are associated with a wide range­ of ­psychological reactions­. In addition, other ­factors play­ a critical role in the formation of a diverse range of mental problems - personal characteristics, the severity of exposure to earthquake, and post-earthquake psychological distress (e.g., dissociation and avoidance). Therefore, This study investigates the relationship between earthquake intensity experience with substance use tendency, depression, and suicidal thoughts with the mediating role of peritraumatic dissociation and experiential avoidance.Methods:The participants consist of 323 individuals who had experienced an earthquake disaster four years ago. A set of valid and reliable questionnaires­ was administered to the participants. The gathered data were analyzed‌ using structural equation modeling in ‌SPSS Ver. 24 and LISREL Ver. 24.Results:The results showed that the intensity of the trauma experience is directly and significantly associated with depression symptoms, peritraumatic dissociation, and experiential avoidance. The experience of trauma had a significant­ indirect effect on the tendency to use substance through experimental­ avoidance. This is while the severity of the trauma experience did not directly correlate with substance use and suicidal thoughts. In addition, peritraumatic dissociation did not mediate the relationship between the severity of trauma experience with substance use, depression, and suicidal thoughts.Conclusions­:It seems ­that both the experience (severity) of earthquake trauma and some reactions by individuals after a trauma experience can contribute to the prediction of some psychological consequences. These findings indicate the significance of experiential avoidance­ in predicting substance use tendencies. Nonetheless, to draw a clearer picture of­ peritraumatic dissociation, future research should ­focus on­ measuring ­this component more precisely and the inclusion of constructs­ that are naturally dissociative­.