“I Gain a Resilient Self”: Exploring Disaster Identity Communication and Posttraumatic Growth of Young Adults in Chinese Culture

Abstract

ABSTRACT Natural disasters can have both negative and positive impacts on survivors’ mental health, including posttraumatic growth (PTG). This study applies the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), which posits that identity is a multi-layered construct shaped through and reflected in communication, to explore PTG through identity lenses among young adults (aged 21–30 years, 9 females and 6 males) in the aftermath of a devastating urban flood within Chinese culture. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the relationship between their identities and PTG. A deductive qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze data. Participants described their specific self change within four identity frames: personal, relational, enacted, and communal. Within each frame, several sub-categories of disaster-related identity changes are identified. Furthermore, two identity gaps were identified during the disaster: personal-enacted and personal-relational, which reflect the discrepancies among identity frames. The findings indicate that young adults can experience PTG while communicating their specific identities, but identity gaps hinder this process. The study suggests that Confucianism in Chinese culture may play a supportive role in facilitating PTG during the disaster.