Resource loss, coping strategies and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in survivors of the 2020 Croatia earthquake

BackgroundConservation of resources theory (COR) establishes a link between resource loss and the stress response. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of resource loss in the form of home damage and the choice of active or passive coping strategies to PTSD symptoms in survivors of the 2020 Petrinja (Croatia) earthquake.MethodsA total of 374 adults (29.9% men) aged 18-64 years living in the counties surrounding the epicenter of the Petrinja (Croatia) earthquake participated in an online cross-sectional survey. The questionnaire included the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Coping Inventory, and the binary item assessing whether or not the participants' home was damaged.ResultsHierarchical regression analysis showed that home damage was a significant predictor of PTSD symptoms. Participants whose homes were damaged by the earthquake were significantly more likely to use passive coping strategies, namely avoidance and emotional venting, and one active coping strategy, action, than those whose homes were spared. Finally, more frequent use of passive coping was associated with a higher risk of PTSD symptoms.ConclusionsThe study corroborates the COR theory link between resource loss and the stress response, as well as the general consensus that passive coping is a less adaptive strategy than active coping. In addition to passive coping, individuals who lacked resources may have been inclined to take some active steps because they either needed to repair or relocate their homes and because most buildings were only moderately to minimally damaged in the Petrinja earthquake.

Automated summary

This study aimed to assess the impact of resource loss (mainly home damage) and the choice of active or passive coping strategies on PTSD symptoms in survivors of the 2020 Petrinja earthquake in Croatia. The study found that home damage was a significant predictor of PTSD symptoms, and participants whose homes were damaged were more likely to use passive coping strategies. The frequent use of passive coping was associated with a higher risk of PTSD symptoms.