OBJECTIVE: To explore the trajectory of psychological resilience and its impact factors of adolescents in earthquake-hit areas by latent variable growth curve model (LGM) and to find out protective factors for psychological resilience.
METHODS: Longitudinal design was administrated. All grade one students in two junior high schools in the heavily and slightly earthquake-hit areas respectively were investigated by follow-up study in one year. Repeated measures analysis of variance and latent variable growth curve model were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: The three-time measurements of psychological resilience of adolescents in the heavily earthquake-hit areas were significantly lower than corresponding measurements of the slightly earthquake-hit areas all along. There was an ascending trend of adolescent's psychological resilience and objective support over one year (P < 0.05), while a descending trend of self-esteem (P < 0.05). The directly protective factors of resilience were self-esteem and subjective support and indirectly protective factors were objective support and utilization of social support. The psychological resilience of boys was higher than that of girl, but the change trend of psychological resilience was no difference between boys and girls.
CONCLUSION: Psychological resilience of adolescents had dynamic characteristics. Psychological resilience of adolescents would be damaged in disasters but it could be recovered through enhance internal and external protective factors.
