The mediating roles of acceptance and cognitive reappraisal in the relation between hope and posttraumatic growth among adolescents after the Ya’an earthquake

Abstract

Previous theoretical research has indicated that hope, cognitive reappraisal, and acceptance may contribute to posttraumatic growth (PTG). However, the combined effects of these factors on PTG have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, the current study examined the mediating roles of cognitive reappraisal and acceptance in the relationship between hope and PTG among Chinese adolescents following the Ya’an earthquake. The sample included 397 adolescent survivors, who completed self-report measures 2.5 years after the earthquake. The mediating effects were assessed by constructing a multiple indirect effects model. The findings indicated that traumatic exposure only have predictive value for PTG, but not other variables. Moreover, when we controlled for gender, age, and traumatic exposure, hope had a direct and positive effect on PTG. We found an indirect and positive effect of hope on PTG via cognitive reappraisal and acceptance, as well as via an indirect path from cognitive reappraisal to acceptance. These findings suggest that utilising the mediating roles of cognitive reappraisal and acceptance in the relationship between hope and PTG is crucial in developing methods for fostering PTG.