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Social network as a moderator in the relation between trauma exposure and trauma reaction: A survey among UN soldiers and relief workers
Author(s) -
Kaspersen Marianne,
Matthiesen Stig Berge,
Götestam K. Gunnar
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1046/j.1467-9450.2003.00362.x
Subject(s) - moderation , psychology , social network (sociolinguistics) , clinical psychology , social psychology , political science , law , social media
Social network as a moderator between trauma exposure and post‐trauma symptomatology was studied. Two samples – relief workers and UN soldiers – were assessed on trauma exposure, social network and three dependent measures related to post‐trauma reactions. Regression analysis and interaction plots were used to determine the presence of interaction effects between trauma exposure and social network. All four network variables moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and post‐trauma reactions among relief workers, while among UN soldiers only two such buffer effects were found. Furthermore, among UN soldiers one of these interaction effects was reversed, indicating social support to be important for those low on trauma exposure, while among relief workers support was important in the high‐exposure condition. The results indicate a difference with respect to the importance of social network as a moderator between groups exposed to different kinds of war trauma. Differences in motivational systems may also exist. However, further research will have to establish this.