Abstract
ObjectivesLittle is known about the 12-month prevalence of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and to what extent the type of PTE is a risk factor for post-event lack of social support. In addition, it is largely unknown if pre-event mental health problems and loneliness, and demographics are risk factors for a lack of support. Aim of the present prospective study is to fill these gaps in evidence-based knowledge.MethodsA survey was conducted among a large random sample of the Dutch adult population (i.e. the longitudinal LISS panel) in March-April 2018, and linked with pre-event mental health and loneliness data from surveys conducted in 2016 (n = 5,879). We distinguished four forms of perceived social support: emotional and esteem support, and social recognition and general disapproval.ResultsLoss of a significant other and/or colleague (28%) was the most prevalent 12-month PTE. The 12-month prevalence of violence, accidents and/or, and theft-related events was 13%. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed no differences in lack of emotional and esteem support, or in lack of recognition across non-death PTEs and death-related PTEs. However, victims of threat and physical (sexual) violence more often faced disapproval than those affected by burglary and accidents. Results furthermore showed that pre-event mental health problems, pre-event loneliness and stress during the PTE were important independent predictors of forms of support and acknowledgment. Affected individuals with a non-Western background more often lacked support and acknowledgment.ConclusionsMany adults are confronted with a PTE during a year. In general, pre-event factors and stress during the event are better predictors of a perceived lack of support and acknowledgment than type of event. Early screening programs should especially assess pre-event mental health and loneliness, besides levels of stress during the event, to identify affected people who are at risk for a lack of social support and acknowledgment.
Highlights
Most people are confronted with potentially traumatic events (PTEs) in their lives, such as accidents, violence and sudden death of a significant other
Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed no differences in lack of emotional and esteem support, or in lack of recognition across non-death PTEs and death-related PTEs
Many adults are confronted with a PTE during a year
Summary
Most people are confronted with potentially traumatic events (PTEs) in their lives, such as accidents, (sexual) violence and sudden death of a significant other. Perceived social support may play, as it fits the temporary and varying needs of the affected individuals, an important protective role against the development of mental health problems such as PTSD and PTSD symptoms. A specific form of perceived support is social acknowledgment or validation of the victims’ event-related thoughts, behavior, and feelings; i.e., positive individual or societal reactions that recognize their traumatic experiences and current difficulties. It differs from social support as an interactional process in that it includes the entire perceived societal context and the support from a persons direct environment. Few studies have assessed event-related social acknowledgment by the social environment [4, 22,23,24,25]
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