The Great Flood: Race-Moderated Associations between Social Work Students’ Protective Mechanisms and Adaptive Coping

Abstract

Abstract The postdisaster experiences of 167 social work students in the aftermath of the Great Flood of 2016 were examined. Using a cross-sectional survey design and validated self-report measures, the current study examined the association between students’ protective factors (hope, altruism, spiritual support; at 8, 20, and 12 items, respectively) and six adaptive coping mechanisms, and further sought to determine whether such associations varied according to students’ race (white vs. African American). Six hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using each of the adaptive coping strategies (acceptance, active coping, positive reframing, self-distraction, planning, and venting). Results showed that students’ race moderated the associations between altruism and active coping, spiritual support and active coping, spiritual support and self-distraction, altruism and planning, spiritual support and planning, and altruism and venting. The decomposition of the significant interactions indicated that the effect of altruism on active coping, planning, and venting was greater among white than among African American participants; the effect of spiritual support on active coping, self-distraction, and planning was greater among African American than among white participants. Recommendations include educating all students about risks incurred when working with traumatized populations. Research examining postdisaster coping responses of social workers can inform culturally responsive supervision approaches.