Well-being Following Hurricane Michael: Complex Pathways Involving Substance Use and Character Strengths

Background: Despite increased interdisciplinary attention to the global climate crisis inducing major disasters, few studies have simultaneously explored multifaceted well-being following extreme natural disasters using structural equation modeling (SEM). Based on theories of trauma and positive psychology, as well as frameworks concerning substance use, this study tested a hypothetical model on pathways to quality-of-life related outcomes following Category-5 Hurricane Michael. Method. Online survey data from 488 respondents (Age = 41.3, range = 16–78) were collected in 2019, starting six months after the storm. Standardized instruments assessed how peritraumatic emotional and behavioral reactions related to three disaster outcomes: depression, life satisfaction (LS), and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Results. Positive pathways (centering on a character strength spirituality-to-hope link) and a negative pathway (i.e., substance use for coping) were evaluated. Depression (but not LS) was positively correlated with PTG in the final model. The SEM model demonstrated the beneficial roles of peritraumatic positive emotions and behavioral reactions on LS and PTG, as well as their counteracting role against depression. The spirituality-to-hope pathway moderated most indirect effects. Substance use moderated the pathways from positive and negative peritraumatic emotions to the three outcomes. Conclusion. Overall, the findings revealed a heterogeneous and complex post-disaster well-being phenomenon, which adds new knowledge to assumptions about trauma and disaster in trauma and positive psychology and further highlight the need for comprehensive assessment and interventions to facilitate quality of life among disaster survivors through interdisciplinary endeavors.