2017 Volume 32 Pages 55-62
This study investigated the mental health in four years and six to eight months after the Great East Japan earthquake among junior high school students living in the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, who were affected by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Three hundred nine students living there completed the questionnaire to assess post-traumatic stress responses, positive emotions, social support, positive events, and well-being. As the results, the scores of post-traumatic stress responses and mother support in first-year students were significantly higher than those in third-year students. The scores of post-traumatic stress responses and peer support in girls were significantly higher than those in boys. Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that the experiences of positive events enriched social support and positive emotions, which reduced post-traumatic stress responses and enhanced well-being.
