Cognitive and social consequences of participation in social rites: Collective coping, social support, and post-traumatic growth in the victims of Guatemala genocide

Abstract

The collective emotion experienced by those who lived the same experience or meet in a rite to celebrate and remember it, produces effects on both the individual and the community. Our study explored the psychosocial effects, particularly those related to post-traumatic growth, that participating in different rituals had on the reactions of the victims of Guatemala Genocide; it also aimed at investigating the differentiated effects of participation in demonstrations on individual and interpersonal coping reactions. Fifty nine genocide survivors were enrolled from different Guatemala areas and administered measures of: participation in religious and commemoration rituals and in human rights movement, social sharing, intensity of basic emotions, impact of the event, coping, perceived benefits of sharing, and post-traumatic growth. Results revealed that participation in rituals was associated with: higher social support and sharing regarding traumatic events, coping through social support, altruistic behaviour, communal coping or engagement in political action and human rights social movements, whereas, at the same time, with less avoidant thoughts and reactions related to the traumatic event, supporting Durkheim's contention. Participation in rituals was also associated with posttraumatic growth, confirming that rituals reinforce positive beliefs about oneself, others and society. Finally, mediation analysis suggested that the effects of participating on post-traumatic growth and socio-emotional support were mediated by communal coping or engagement in social movements.