Perceived Spiritual Support Counteracts the Traumatic Impact of Extreme Disasters: Exploration of Moderators

Introduction: Extreme disasters have increased exponentially in recent years and result in threats and traumatic reactions in communities globally. Humans turn to their existential relations for survival following disasters; yet, religion and spirituality (R/S) remains underinvestigated in disaster contexts, with most studies measuring general R/S concepts in Christian samples. To address the resulting gap, this study sought to (a) establish short form, disaster-specific scales of perceived spiritual support (PSS); (b) test the factor's relationships with mental health outcomes; and (c) explore moderators of those relationships. Method: With strong community engagement, a culturally diverse sample (N = 566) completed an online survey after Hurricanes Maria and Michael (H-MM). Multivariate analyses established psychometric properties for 2 PSS short-form scales (PSSS-S1 and -S2) and revealed associations between and moderators of (disaster-related experiences and character strengths) the scales and 2 traumatic outcomes: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Results: PSSS-S1 and -S2 demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. PSS was associated inversely with PTSD symptoms at a marginal level but positively and strongly with PTG. Character strengths moderated the link of PSS to PTSD but not PTG. Most disaster-related factors were associated with both outcomes. Conclusions: The findings highlight the function of PSS in survival. PSSS-S1 and -S2 are adequate measures for rapid and cross-cultural data collection in extreme disasters. The differential associations of PSS and moderators with the 2 outcomes can be interpreted in light of 2 forms of well-being, which may have implications for theory, research, and practice in trauma psychology. Clinical Impact Statement This study found that a sense of existential relatedness (i.e., perceived spiritual support or PSS) may be as potent as close human relations for well-being in times of crisis. Two, now-validated short-form versions of a PSS measure are offered for use with disaster survivors. PSS, along with trait hope and optimism, predicted post-traumatic growth among hurricane victims. Trait optimism, gratitude, need for positive affect, and strength of faith buffered against PTSD. Hurricane-related emotional responses and stressors predicted both outcomes. The study shows that faith-related constructs and positive character strengths are important factors for practitioners to explore for a better understanding of collective resilience. At the same time, they should also consider immediate emotional reactions to, stressors caused by, and past trauma reminded by the catastrophe, which may help ease some long-term, trauma-induced symptoms and facilitate growth and well-being in the future.