Longitudinal linkages between depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms in adolescent survivors following the Wenchuan earthquake in China: A three-wave, cross-lagged study

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the relationships between depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of adolescent survivors following the Wenchuan earthquake in China. Two-hundred adolescent survivors were reviewed at 12, 18 and 24-months post-earthquake. Depression and PTSD were assessed by two self-report questionnaires: The revised Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children and the Revised Child PTSD Symptom Scale, respectively. The cross-lagged structural equation analysis with latent variables indicated that the PTSD symptoms and depression could be considered as two distinct and high-correlated constructs, and depression symptomatology pre-event could predict post-event PTSD. Depression symptoms play a crucial role in the development of PTSD symptoms. Implications of the results for psychological service providers to children and youth are discussed.

Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms in children after the Wenchuan earthquake

“…For example, our findings were not consistent with those of two related studies of Chinese children who survived the earthquake (Fu et al, 2017; Ying et al, 2012). In Fu et al’s study (2017), the authors followed 197 children (aged 10–14 years) at two weeks (assessing acute stress symptoms and depressive symptoms) and 1.5 months (assessing PTSD and depressive symptoms) after the Lushan earthquake; the results showed that acute stress symptoms predicted PTSD and depressive symptoms, while depressive symptoms at two weeks did not affect PTSD symptoms at 1.5 months.…”

“…In Fu et al’s study (2017), the authors followed 197 children (aged 10–14 years) at two weeks (assessing acute stress symptoms and depressive symptoms) and 1.5 months (assessing PTSD and depressive symptoms) after the Lushan earthquake; the results showed that acute stress symptoms predicted PTSD and depressive symptoms, while depressive symptoms at two weeks did not affect PTSD symptoms at 1.5 months. Our investigation and the study of Ying et al (2012) were similar but were conducted independently of each other. In both studies, the participants were children, and the traumatic event was the Wenchuan earthquake, which occurred on 12 May 2008 (Ying et al, 2012).…”

“…Our investigation and the study of Ying et al (2012) were similar but were conducted independently of each other. In both studies, the participants were children, and the traumatic event was the Wenchuan earthquake, which occurred on 12 May 2008 (Ying et al, 2012). However, the measurement time points in the Ying et al (2012) study occurred at 1, 1.5 and 2 years after the event.…”

“…In both studies, the participants were children, and the traumatic event was the Wenchuan earthquake, which occurred on 12 May 2008 (Ying et al, 2012). However, the measurement time points in the Ying et al (2012) study occurred at 1, 1.5 and 2 years after the event. The major difference was that our study began at four months after the event, which was considerably earlier than the start date of their study (four months vs. one year).…”

“…Another five-year longitudinal investigation of PTSD treatment among adolescents revealed that it also relieved depressive symptoms (Goenjian et al, 2005), but the study lacked a group with treatment for depressive symptoms. However, the results of two other studies using cross-lagged analyses among children after earthquakes demonstrated conflicting results (Fu, Cheng, & Liu, 2017; Ying, Wu, & Lin, 2012). To date, there is no consistent conclusion about the relationship between PTSD and depression in children or adolescents.…”