title: General self-efficacy and posttraumatic stress after a natural disaster: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-efficacy may be an important factor in individuals' recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions after a natural disaster. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated whether self-efficacy predicts the course of posttraumatic recovery beyond lower initial levels of distress. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether general self-efficacy is related to recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions from a longitudinal perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 617 Norwegians exposed to the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami completed self-report questionnaires measuring their level of disaster exposure and general self-efficacy at 6 months and posttraumatic stress reactions 6 months and 2 years post-disaster. Predictors of changes in posttraumatic stress reactions were analyzed with multivariate mixed effects models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-efficacy at 6 months post-disaster was unrelated to trauma exposure and inversely related to posttraumatic stress reactions at 6 months and 2 years post-disaster. However, self-efficacy was not related to recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions between 6 months and 2 years post-disaster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, general self-efficacy is related to lower levels of posttraumatic stress reactions in the first months after a disaster but does not appear to be related to improved recovery rates over the longer term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Blindern, Postbox 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway. egilny@psykologi.uio.no.|Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway (RBUP), Nydalen, Postbox 4623, 0405, Oslo, Norway. egilny@psykologi.uio.no.
authors.forename: Egil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Services, Akershus University Hospital, Sykehusveien 25, 1478, Lørenskog, Norway.
authors.forename: Ajmal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Services, Akershus University Hospital, Sykehusveien 25, 1478, Lørenskog, Norway.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, Postbox 1171, 0318, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siqveland
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, Postbox 1171, 0318, Oslo, Norway.|Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Nydalen, Postbox 181, 0409, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D057192:Tsunamis
keywords: Disaster; PTSD; Posttraumatic stress reactions; Self-efficacy