Social Support as a Mediator of Posttraumatic Embitterment and Perceptions of Meaning in Life among Danwon Survivors of the Sewol Ferry Disaster

• Published in: Yonsei medical journal Vol. 58; no. 6; pp. 1211 - 1215
• Main Authors: Lee, So Hee, Nam, Hee Sun, Kim, Hak Beom, Kim, Eun Ji, Won, Sung-Doo, Chae, Jeong-Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Yonsei University College of Medicine 01.11.2017; 연세대학교의과대학
• Subjects: Original; 의학일반; social support; Sewol ferry disaster; posttraumatic embitterment; Danwon High School survivors; meaning in life
• ISSN: 0513-5796; 1976-2437; 1976-2437
• DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2017.58.6.1211

Our research was designed to test and explore the relationships among embitterment, social support, and perceptions of meaning in life in the Danwon High School survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster. Seventy-five Sewol ferry disaster survivors were eligible for participation, and were invited to participate in the study 28 months after the disaster. Forty-eight (64%) survivors (24 males, 24 females) completed questionnaires; the Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED) scale, the Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). PTED scores were negatively correlated with scores on the FSSQ and the Presence of Meaning (MLQ-P) (r=-0.43 and -0.40, respectively). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that FSSQ scores may fully mediate the effects of PTED scores on MLQ-P scores, given that the indirect effect was significant whereas the direct effect was not (95% confidence interval=-0.5912 to -0.0365). These findings imply that therapies targeting embitterment may play a vital role in increasing positive cognitions, such as those related to perceived social support and the meaningfulness of life.