Gallagher H Colin, Richardson John, Forbes David, Harms Louise, Gibbs Lisa, Alkemade Nathan, MacDougall Colin, Waters Elizabeth, Block Karen, Lusher Dean, Baker Elyse, Bryant Richard A
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Emergency Services, Australian Red Cross, Melbourne, Australia.
J Trauma Stress. 2016 Feb;29(1):56-64. doi: 10.1002/jts.22071. Epub 2016 Jan 7.
Short-term separation from close family members during a disaster is a highly salient event for those involved. Yet, its subsequent impact on mental health has received little empirical attention. One relevant factor may be attachment style, which influences patterns of support-seeking under threatening conditions. Individuals (N = 914) affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires in southeastern Australia were assessed for disaster experiences, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and attachment style 3-4 years after the fires. Using multigroup structural equation modelling, individuals who reported separation from close family members during the bushfires (n = 471) were compared to those who reported no separation (n = 443). Cross-sectional results indicated that separated individuals had higher levels of PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, attachment anxiety was more strongly positively associated with depression among separated (b = 0.62) versus not separated individuals (b = 0.32). Unexpectedly, among separated individuals, attachment avoidance had a statistically weaker association with depression (b = 0.17 vs. b = 0.35) and with PTSD symptoms (b = 0.06 vs. b = 0.22). These results suggest that attachment anxiety amplifies a negative reaction to separation; meanwhile, for avoidant individuals, separation in times of danger may facilitate defensive cognitive processes.
在灾难期间与亲密家庭成员的短期分离，对相关人员来说是一个非常突出的事件。然而，其对心理健康的后续影响却很少受到实证关注。一个相关因素可能是依恋风格，它会影响在威胁情况下寻求支持的模式。对受2009年澳大利亚东南部维多利亚丛林大火影响的914名个体，在火灾发生3至4年后评估了他们的灾难经历、抑郁、创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状和依恋风格。使用多组结构方程模型，将在丛林大火期间报告与亲密家庭成员分离的个体（n = 471）与报告未分离的个体（n = 443）进行比较。横断面结果表明，分离的个体有更高水平的PTSD症状。此外，在分离的个体中，依恋焦虑与抑郁的正相关比未分离的个体更强（b = 0.62 vs. b = 0.32）。出乎意料的是，在分离的个体中，依恋回避与抑郁（b = 0.17 vs. b = 0.35）以及与PTSD症状（b = 0.06 vs. b = 0.22）的关联在统计学上较弱。这些结果表明，依恋焦虑会放大对分离的负面反应；同时，对于回避型个体，危险时期的分离可能会促进防御性认知过程。
