title: The Impact of Social Support on the Relationship between Trauma History and PTSD Symptoms in Motor Vehicle Accident Victims.
abstract: The present study examined how different types of social support differentially moderated the relationship between trauma history characteristics and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) following a motor vehicle accident (MVA). Two hundred thirty-five MVA victims self-reported levels of social support and trauma history, and were evaluated for PTSS 6- and 12-months post-MVA. Results indicated that after controlling for gender, injury severity and income, number of prior trauma types and subjective responses to prior traumatization predicted subsequent PTSS (ps < .05). Appraisal social support was a significant moderator of the total number of types of trauma (appraisal: 6-months β = -.16, p < .05; 12-months β = -.17, p < .05) and subjective physical injury during the prior trauma (appraisal: 6-months β = -.14, p < .05; 12-months β = -.19, p < .05) in predicting PTSS. Results underscore the importance of examining both trauma history and social support as multi-dimensional constructs and suggest merit to addressing social support in trauma victims with a prior trauma history.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Crystal A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gabert-Quillen
authors.forename: Leah A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sledjeski
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fallon
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spoonster
authors.forename: Douglas L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Delahanty