The paradoxical effect of interpersonal support from the social media on the post-relocation adjustment difficulties among Filipino typhoon survivors

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) Vol. 42; no. 28; pp. 24902 - 24917
• Main Authors: Mordeno, Imelu G., Baroquillo, Laira Dee A., Macalimbon, Nasrullah A., Jebulan, Czarina Veronica R., Hall, Brian J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Environmental aspects; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Social aspects; Social media; Social networks; Social Sciences; Social support; Typhoons; Philippines; PTSD; Interpersonal support from social media; Disaster; Post-disaster interpersonal resource loss; Post-relocation difficulties; Philippines
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03604-y

The impact of support from the social media on one’s well-being among disaster survivors, particularly in the process of their relocation, has been rarely studied. To address this gap, this study examines the moderating role of interpersonal support from the social media on the relationship between post-disaster interpersonal resource losses and post-relocation adversities through the severity of PTSD symptoms. Utilizing data from the 724 post-relocatees of Typhoon Washi and Typhoon Haiyan, the results of the moderated-mediation analysis showed that controlling for age and gender, interpersonal support from the social media moderated the relationship between post-disaster interpersonal resource loss and relocation adversities through PTSD. These results suggest that post-disaster interpersonal resource loss leads to post-relocation adjustment difficulties due to heightened PTSD symptoms, particularly among those survivors who received interpersonal support from social media. The findings paradoxically demonstrate that interpersonal support from the social media may not necessarily buffer distress among post-disaster relocatees, and instead, may even exacerbate the distress associated with post-relocation difficulties.