title: Social support, world assumptions, and exposure as predictors of anxiety and quality of life following a mass trauma.
abstract: This study examined the influence of a mass trauma (the Virginia Tech campus shootings) on anxiety symptoms and quality of life, as well as the potential vulnerability/protective roles of world assumptions and social support. Pre-trauma adjustment data, collected in the six months prior to the shooting, was examined along with two-month post-shooting data in a sample of 298 female students enrolled at the university at the time of the shootings. Linear regression analyses revealed consistent predictive roles for world assumptions pertaining to control and self-worth as well as family support. In addition, for those more severely exposed to the shooting, greater belief in a lack of control over outcomes appeared to increase vulnerability for post-trauma physiological and emotional anxiety symptoms. Implications of the results for research and intervention following mass trauma are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, 126 Heyne Building, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5022, USA. aegrills@uh.edu
authors.forename: Amie E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Grills-Taquechel
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Littleton
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Axsom
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D014768:Virginia