Life stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms mediate the association between disaster exposure and identity-related distress in emerging adults.

Objective: The current multi-university, multi-disaster study examined the impact of natural disaster exposure on identity-related distress through life stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Participants : Young adult university students ( n  = 665, 77% female, M  = 20.5 years old) participated in Wave (W) 1. Half provided contact information for follow-up, and 136 university students participated in W2. Method: University students in the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico were asked about disaster exposure, life stressors, PTSS, and identity-related distress at W1 ( M =  9.7 months post-disaster) and identity-related distress at W2 ( M  = 12.4 months after W1). Two serial mediation models assessed the indirect effect of disaster exposure on W1 and W2 identity-related distress through life stressors and PTSS. Results: Disaster exposure impacted identity-related distress concurrently and longitudinally through increasing life stressors since disaster and PTSS. Conclusion: Potential supportive services should address identity-related distress among disaster-exposed young adults with PTSS.