(PS1-B28) The Role of Resource Utilization on the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Psychological Distress Following a Major Environmental Disaster

As Earth’s climate continues to rapidly change, climate-induced disasters are becoming a frequent experience for young adults (Masson-Delmotte et al., 2018), and prior research highlights the mental health consequences of environmental disasters (Lowe et al., 2019). However, we need to better understand how these disasters impact the mental health of vulnerable populations and which post-disaster resources are particularly beneficial in order to effectively respond to emergencies. The current study examined whether childhood trauma predicted depression and anxiety symptoms among a sample of college students directly impacted by the deadliest Californian wildfire, the Camp Fire, and the moderating role of resource utilization (e.g., mental health services) by students during/after the wildfire. 

Data were drawn from 112 college students (75% female; Mage=27.60, SDage=9.88) enrolled in the California State University Basic Needs program, which provided disaster relief and community-based support to Camp Fire victims. Participants identified as White (72%), Black (3%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (1%), Asian (6%), more than one race (11%), and unknown (7%). Six months after the 2018 Camp Fire, participants directly impacted by the wildfire completed the 28-item brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ, Bernstein et al., 2003), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, Kroenke et al., 2001), the 7-item brief scale Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7, Spitzer et al., 2006), and reported services (e.g., counseling center, FEMA disaster assistance, mental health services) that they accessed during/after the Camp Fire.  

Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to childhood trauma predicted increased depression symptoms following a major environmental disaster (b = 2.27, SE = 1.03, p = .032), but did not significantly predict anxiety symptoms (p = .046), when co-varying for sex. However, the utilization of mental health services outside of the university during/after the disaster buffered the effects of childhood trauma on depression (b = -5.79, SE = 2.54, p = .026), when co-varying for sex. The other resources that were measured did not significantly moderate the association between childhood trauma and depression (all p’s > .05). 

Results suggest that students who have experienced childhood trauma may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing depression symptoms following an environmental disaster, but that utilizing mental health resources outside of the university could improve their mental health. Given an increase in weather-related disasters due to a rise in global temperatures (Runkle et al., 2018), these findings can inform strategies to quickly support students who are at an elevated risk of difficulty during/after serious environmental disasters. Future research should explore what types of mental health resources students seek to ensure universities can efficiently serve students’ needs in times of crises.