Traumatic experiences, such as natural disasters, do not only cause people to suffer from material and financial losses, but they can lead to a maladaptive regulation of the stress response and to the onset of stress-induced psychopathology. Traumatic stress has been shown to alter brain structures and functions involved in the stress response. It has also been linked to the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, an overactive sympathetic nervous system with elevated cortisol and norepinephrine levels. These neurobiological alterations can make some individuals more vulnerable to the development of depression and anxiety disorders. A dose-response relationship between trauma severity and psychopathology has been found in previous research. Research has also revealed that a person’s perceived ability to cope with hardship, coping self-efficacy (CSE), is related to decreased vulnerability or resilience to stress. In the study carried out in the framework of this thesis, associations between the severity of traumatic exposure and CSE with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder were examined in a sample (N = 105) of Nepalese flood victims. Participants (18-90 years old) answered a questionnaire carried out via interview. Results showed that there were no significant correlations between flood related trauma severity and depression or anxiety. However, findings showed that higher CSE was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Future studies in Nepal should directly investigate this association as well as possible interventions aimed at enhancing CSE and whether such interventions can reduce symptoms of depression.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:his-19394 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Zakariasson, Emelie |
| Publisher | Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för biovetenskap |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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