Three-year longitudinal study of perceptions of competence and well-being among youth exposed to disasters

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article examines perceptions of competence/well-being over time and linkages to exposure to natural disaster experiences and stress associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in youth. A multi-wave naturalistic design was used to follow N = 3,399 students, ages 8–18 years who were evaluated for perceptions of competence/well-being, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, hurricane exposure experiences, and stress related to the oil spill at three time points across three years. Examination of longitudinal trajectories of competence/well-being revealed growth within youth over time. Age predicted trajectories of competence/well-being, such that older youth had higher ratings of competence/well-being; however, with higher oil spill stress, older youth experienced declines in competence/well-being post-oil spill. There was a negative association between PTSD symptoms and competence/well-being. Findings suggest that perceptions of competence/well-being may be compromised by exposure to disasters, but if maintained may serve as a protective factor.