Relationship between handedness and persistent emotional distress in adults experiencing an earthquake.

Aim. Post-traumatic emotional distress follows exposure to trauma and may be affected by atypical cerebral lateralisation. We aimed to explore the relationship between handedness and emotional dysfunction in people exposed to a natural disaster. Methods. About 22 months after an earthquake, 326 exposed adults completed the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Results. Mixed-handed people, compared to right-handed, had a 3.3 fold increase in odds to have emotional distress. Consistent left-handers scored higher than consistent right- and mixed-handers on the ISI scale. Conclusions. Findings support that lateral preference is associated with emotional distress in people exposed to trauma.