An Exploration of the Relationship Between Culture and Resilience Capacity in Trauma Survivors

Resilience capacity has been found to be associated with individuals’ flexibility and adaptability when dealing with adversity-related stress. Previous research suggested that resilience capacity may play an important role in moderating the relationships between exposure to traumatic events and severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and cultural factors may be associated with that process. However, adequate research of the mechanisms on how culture may relate to the relationship between resilience and PTSD is still lacking. The present study attempted to explore potential mediators associated with the relationship between culture and resilience capacity among trauma survivors and focused on the potential mediating associations of cultural variables (independent/interdependent self-construal, dialectical thinking, and familism). Levels of culture-related variables among three cultural regions (America, Hong Kong, and Mainland China) were assessed and analyzed. The results of a bootstrapping analysis indicated that independent self-construal and dialectical thinking each significantly mediated the relationship between culture and resilience capacity. Cultural and clinical implications of these findings and suggestions for future research were explored.