The association between post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and the quality of life among Wenchuan earthquake survivors: the role of social support as a moderator

To examine the role of the three types of social support as possible moderating factors between post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) and its relationship to two domains of the quality of life (QOL).

A cross-sectional survey was done in a local area near the epicenter of the severe earthquake in Wenchuan. The Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the standard Chinese 12-item Short Form (SF-12v2), and
the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used to interview a total of 2,080 earthquake survivors in the one-year follow-up
period. Multiple regressions were performed to evaluate the moderating role of social support on the relationship between
PTSD and QOL.

Among survivors one-year after the Wenchuan earthquake, being a woman (p < 0.01), having a lower level of education (p < 0.01), having a lower level of income (p < 0.01), having a worse housing status (p < 0.05) and having a higher level of exposure (p < 0.05) were risk factors for a poorer QOL (∆R
² = 0.063). PTSD symptoms negatively influenced the QOL (∆R
² = 0.145), while social support positively influenced the QOL (∆R
² = 0.016). However, the interaction between social support and PTSD weakened the negative effect of PTSD on the QOL (∆R
² = 0.012). Subjective support and support availability moderated the association between PTSD and the QOL (∆R
² = 0.010).

Subjective support and support availability are more useful strategies to improve the QOL of the earthquake survivors with
PTSD symptoms.