Perceived self-efficacy during an emergency situation reduces posttraumatic stress symptoms.
This study investigates if perceived self-efficacy during an emergency situation has a protective role in the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms among Italian and Spanish survivors of several emergency situations. We explored the impact of self-efficacy in a multiple regression model including other predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms, such as emergency prevention knowledge; trust in emergency services; risk perception of becoming a victim of an emergency situation; and conscious and active behaviors in comparison with no conscious and no active behavior during the emergency. We carried out a retrospective study recruiting 214 participants who reported their experience as victims of one specific emergency event. Results showed that survivors who perceived themselves as more self-efficacious during the traumatic event had less posttraumatic stress symptoms. In contrast, female gender, more self-threat perception and higher trauma severity were associated with more symptoms. Findings contribute to better understand human behavior in emergency situations and evidence the protective role of perceived self-efficacy beliefs among survivors of emergency situations.
Universitat Ramon Llull (Spain).
Elisa
E
Saccinto
Lola
L
Vallès
Ed
E
Hilterman
Malin
M
Roiha
Luca
L
Pietrantoni
Carles
C
Pérez-Testor
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult