Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Coping Strategies of Adolescent Earthquake Survivors in China

Abstract

In this study, the relationships among psychological health and self-efficacy, social support, and coping strategies soon after a devastating natural disaster was explored using path analysis, in order to provide guidelines for early psychological intervention. Participants comprised 172 senior middle-school students, in the stricken area of the May 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan, China, of whom 167 completed the scales. Three different models were tested consecutively and compared. According to the model that provided the best fit to the data, emotion-focused coping significantly predicted psychological problems, while subjective social support and problem-focused coping significantly predicted self-efficacy. The results showed that soon after a disaster, the most important mediating factor for people is emotional regulation.