Coping strategies for stress and pathological symptoms in university students in the face of a mudslide disaster

Abstract

This paper aimed to analyze the association between psychopathological symptomatology, stress coping strategies and sociodemographic variables related to the experience of social disaster. 399 undergraduates completed the Psychological Symptom Scales (SCL-90-R), the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) and a sociodemographic survey. A cross-sectional associative-comparative strategy and a natural group design were used. The results indicated the existence of differences due to sex in the psychopathological symptoms of Somatization, Depression, and Anxiety, where women scored higher. There are differences regarding the global assessment of the impact caused by the flood in all psychopathological dimensions, except for Interpersonal Sensitivity. Multiple regression analyzes showed that the psychopathological dimensions are explained by high Social Withdrawal and Desiderative Thinking. These results suggest that not only stress coping strategies, but the presence of children in the family nucleus, exposure to violence, housing deterioration and impact assessment are potent predictors of symptoms of Depression, General Symptomatic Index, Anxiety, Somatization, Obsession-Compulsion, and Total Positive Symptoms.

Keywords

• Síntomas patológicos, estrategias de afrontamiento, psicología de la emergencia, desastres socionaturales