Patterns of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Growth Among Adolescents After the Wenchuan Earthquake in China: A Latent Profile Analysis

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) often coexist in the survivors of traumatic events. The current study examined the coexisting patterns of PTSD and PTG using latent profile analysis in a sample of 591 adolescent survivors of the May 12, 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effects of traumatic exposure on specific coexisting patterns. A three-class solution characterized by a growth group (39.6%), a low symptoms group (10.3%), and a coexistence group (50.1%) fitted the data best. Members of the low symptoms group were more likely to be male, odds ratio (OR) = 2.67, 95% CI [1.48, 4.81]; and adolescents in the coexistence group were more likely to be older, OR = 1.22, 95%CI [1.09, 1.37], and to have had experienced serious indirect exposure, OR = 1.07, 95% CI [1.02, 1.12], and posttraumatic fear, OR = 1.20, 95% CI [1.11, 1.31].

Patterns of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth in an Epidemiological Sample of Chinese Earthquake Survivors: A Latent Profile Analysis

“…The 3-class profiles of this study were in accordance with existing LPA/LCA studies with a similar optimal fitting 3-class solution (e.g., Chen and Wu, 2017a; Zhou et al, 2018). As this study used the DSM-5 criteria of PTSD, and the PTGI-X to measure PTG, the stable 3-class solution indicates that changes in the criteria of PTSD and revisions of the PTGI tend to not change the coexisting patterns of PTSD and PTG.…”

“…First, combined with three other LPA/LCA studies of PTSD and PTG (Birkeland et al, 2015; Chen and Wu, 2017a; Zhou et al, 2018), this study improve our understanding different psychological reactions to trauma exposure. Additionally, the existence of different patterns of PTSD symptoms and PTG may help to explain the mixed findings of relationship between this two constructs.…”

“…Specifically, a high PTSD/high PTG and mild PTSD/high PTG group were found in both of the two samples, while a mild PTSD/mild PTG group only existed in the group not physically proximate to the attack (Birkeland et al, 2015). Second, Chen and Wu (2017a) and Zhou et al (2018) conducted LPA studies 8 and 12 months after earthquake respectively, to identify profiles of PTSD and PTG among Chinese adolescent earthquake survivors. They found similar three class patterns, characterized by mild PTSD/mild PTG, high PTSD/high PTG, and mild PTSD/high PTG.…”

Patterns of posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth among breast cancer patients in China: A latent profile analysis

“…BC patients reported mild PTSS and high PTG in Growth group, which supported the negative association between PTSS and PTG . It suggested that PTG could be positive outcomes in response to PTSS, which help BC patients face and adapt to the environment after illness . In Resisting group and Struggling group, a positive relationship between PTSS and PTG was presented.…”

“…A few previous studies have explored posttraumatic response patterns using LPA. Three of these studies conducted LPA to identify the patterns of PTSS and PTG among earthquake survivors . They found similar three‐class patterns of PTSS and PTG, characterized by mild PTSS/high PTG, mild PTSS/ mild PTG, and high PTSS/high PTG.…”