Coping Strategies and Internal Resources of Dispositional Optimism and Mastery as Predictors of Traumatic Exposure and of PTSD Symptoms: A Prospective Study

This prospective study aimed at examining the role of trait internal resources and coping strategies in predicting traumatic exposure and levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after such exposure. In total, 870 Israeli students participated in the study, of whom 182 (20%) reported a lifetime history of traumatic exposure at baseline (t1), and a total of 231 (27%) respondents reported traumatic exposure during follow-up (t2, t3). After controlling the effect of lifetime history of traumatic exposure either by using it as a covariate in a multivariate analysis of covariance (MACNOVA) or as a predictor in regression analyses, the results indicate that individuals high on trait avoidance coping style and low on mastery are at a higher risk for traumatic exposure, while those high on trait problem-focused coping style, mastery and dispositional optimism are at a lower risk for PTSD symptoms after such exposure.