The Role of Strength-Based Parenting, Posttraumatic Stress, and Event Exposure on Posttraumatic Growth in Flood Survivors

Objective: The present study examined the role of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), strength-based parenting (SBP), and event exposure on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in Peruvian flood survivors. Method: After contacting local authorities, 1,077 adult participants were surveyed 1 year after the flood. Correlation, moderation, and mediation analyses were conducted to determine relationships between variables. Results: Flood survivors experienced both PTSS and PTG. Additionally, event exposure directly facilitated PTG. Further, SBP influenced PTG both directly and by its role in reducing PTSS. Finally, higher levels of SBP aided individuals in converting PTSS into PTG. Conclusions: Favorable psychological outcomes following floods are not uncommon even for those with high levels of stress or exposure. Individual- and community-level interventions should leverage facilitating factors such as SBP to promote growth outcomes such as PTG. Clinical Impact Statement Determining how to promote positive psychological outcomes for survivors of floods is necessary, especially for developing countries. This study found that strength-based parenting promoted positive transformation after a flood, even in individuals who struggled with high stress. This has important implications for practice as psychological interventions for individuals and families, as well as community-based interventions, can seek to center strength-based approaches to promote positive outcomes after these events.