Emotional Injury and the Northridge, California Earthquake

Abstract

The probability of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or experiencing an emotional injury as a result of the Northridge, California earthquake was investigated among a multiethnic sample. Three successive cross-sectional samples were independently drawn for telephone interviews. Demographic attributes, characteristics of the earthquake experience, and resources available to the respondent, were considered. In chi-square analyses, these variables were related to the probability of an emotional injury as expected, with more vulnerable and exposed populations showing higher rates of injury. However, none of the variables were related to PTSD. In the multivariate model, which was a means for controlling for psychological distress, five variables emerged as independent predictors of emotional injury: (1) completing the interview in Spanish; (2) perceiving oneself as a victim of the quake; (3) being female; (4) having utilities disrupted; and (5) sustaining damage.