The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and quality of life in infertile Shidu parents from the 2008 Sichuan earthquake: the moderating role of social support.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Since the promulgation of the one-child policy in 1979, most families have had only one child. Shidu parents, as a special group of Sichuan 2008 earthquake victims, are parents who lost their only child in the earthquake. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADDED TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Shidu parents are an especially vulnerable group in China. This study was the first systematic population-based investigation to explore quality of life (QOL) risk factors and to examine the moderating role of social support between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and QOL in Shidu parents. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The results found that further social support should be provided as a long-term mental health intervention strategy to promote QOL in Shidu parents suffering from PTSD. The research may provide information to assist psychologists in post-disaster mental health interventions with Shidu parents and to inspire decision makers who work with similar groups in other countries. ABSTRACT: Introduction Because of the one-child policy in force in China from 1979 to 2015, most parents were only allowed to have a single child. Of all the Sichuan earthquake victims, there was a special group called the Shidu parents who lost their only child in the earthquake. Aim The aim of this study was to identify the related risk factors for the Shidu parents' quality of life (QOL) and to examine the role of social support as a moderator between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and QOL in Shidu parents. Method A cross-sectional sample survey was conducted to collect data from 10 heavily damaged counties in Sichuan province (n = 176). Discussion PTSD was found to be negatively associated with the Shidu parents' QOL, and social support had a major effect on moderating the association between the PTSD and QOL in Shidu parents. Implications for practice Developing suitable social support could be considered a key part of psychological intervention strategies to promote QOL in Shidu parents suffering from PTSD. This study could provide decision support for mental health professionals (e.g. nurses and psychiatrists) working on mental crisis interventions with Shidu parents.