The present research focused on understanding the roles of coping strategy (avoidant, problem solving, and support seeking) and trauma history in predicting Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and life satisfaction. Exposure to traumatic events is common in the general population, and lifetime prevalence rates for PTSD are relatively high and are estimated at 8.7% among adults in the United States. Although the psychological impact of highly stressful events can be considerable, the development of PTSD profoundly affects the individual’s overall quality of life.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the relation between coping strategy, trauma history, PTSD symptoms, and life satisfaction. To decrease measurement error, latent variables were created for PTSD symptoms and life satisfaction. Both the main effects and interactions associated with coping strategy and trauma history were investigated. Three separate SEM models were constructed to investigate avoidant, problem solving, and support seeking coping strategies, which have been shown to be temporally stable traits.

To investigate the hypothesized model in a non-clinical sample, completed data from 326 participants were analyzed. Two separate subsamples were targeted and included community members and college students. Community members were approached at a large shopping center and college students were approached on campus. All participants received an incentive, which included gift certificates, cash, or course credit immediately after completion of the research assessments.

Bivariate analyses failed to support two separate subsamples in terms of demographics, coping strategies, or trauma history; therefore, one combined sample was used for analyses. The demographics of the combined sample were much more similar to the demographics associated with college students than community members.

Overall, 80.1% of participants reported at least one exposure to a wide variety of traumatic events. Hypotheses regarding coping strategies in this sample, which was largely comprised of college students, were not supported. Both problem solving and support seeking coping strategies failed to significantly predict PTSD symptoms. Even more surprising was that in this sample avoidant coping actually predicted a decrease in PTSD symptoms. Results indicated that participants who experienced high levels of traumatic events benefited from a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms compared to those who had experienced low levels of traumatic events.

In all three coping strategies, an increased trauma history predicted a significant increase in PTSD symptoms, and an increase in PTSD symptoms predicted an even greater decrease in life satisfaction. In addition, an increase in trauma history actually predicted a small increase in life satisfaction when not mediated by PTSD symptoms. This indicated that in this sample exposure to traumatic events slightly increased life satisfaction when individuals did not experience adverse affects associated with the exposure. Also unexpected was the finding that avoidant coping predicted a slight increase in life satisfaction while support seeking predicted a slight decrease in life satisfaction.

The effectiveness of an empathy-based intervention, Harnessing Empathy Results in Opportunities for Everyday Success (HEROES), was evaluated using a randomized waitlist control design with follow-up interview questions. HEROES consists of evidence-informed activities, including feelings identification, role-playing, the use of induction and distancing to consider alternative perspectives, management of personal distress through mindfulness, and gratitude. Results showed statistically significant increases in affective empathy with a large effect size. There was also a large effect size seen for increased cognitive empathy and a medium effect size for increased positive school experiences. HEROES did not exacerbate aggressive behaviors or participants’ experiences of anger. Further, no changes in prosocial behaviors were seen. Results of this study support the viability of interventions that target underlying positive psychosocial constructs.

Utilizing a strengths-based framework, the proposed study sought to build upon and respond to recommendations in the literature regarding conducting more holistic assessments of adolescent mental health. First, an overview of various models of positive based mental health and adolescent development frameworks, including the newly developed model of covitality—a combination of 12 core positive psychological schemas that are associated with student’s positive mental health—is provided. Using a diverse sample of 12,279 adolescents from 17 high schools in California, this study implemented a three-part mixture model (latent profile and class analysis) to investigate underlying mental health profiles among adolescents. Specifically, profiles underlying student covitality were first explored in detail. Subsequently, a latent class investigation of adolescent psychosocial distress was conducted using ratings of externalization and internalization symptoms. Next, a dual-component measurement model was implemented to provide an example of a potential application of the covitality construct as part of a dual-factor method for screening for complete mental health among adolescents. A three-step model for inclusion of covariates was also implemented to better understand how students from different sociocultural backgrounds and schools might uniquely experience mental health. Post-hoc investigations of adolescent risk behavior, quality of school life, and academic achievement are also reported for each covitality profile. Implications for researchers and practitioners interested in conducting strengths-based investigations of complete mental health among adolescents from a dual-component framework are provided.

Stigma and homonegativity contributes to a hostile climate of victimization for LGBTQ individuals inside and outside of school (Katz-Wise & Hyde, 2012; Kosciw, Greytak, Palmer, & Boesen, 2014). Additionally, many LGBTQ youth struggle with increased mental health risk, lower psychological well-being, and poorer school performance (e.g., Haas et al., 2011; Kosciw et al., 2014). Fortunately, researchers have found that feeling supported by school figures can buffer the adverse effects of both LGBTQ-based victimization and prejudice (e.g., Fisher et al., 2008; Kosciw et al., 2014). Using a structural equation model moderation approach with a sample of 235,064 adolescents, this analysis integrates Meyer’s (2003) minority stress model and the buffering hypothesis (Cohen & McKay, 1984) to investigate to what extent self-reported school support may protect against potential effects of marginalized sexual orientation status and/or sexual orientation victimization (SOV; i.e., victimization based on being or being perceived as lesbian or gay). Results indicated that both sexual minority status and SOV significantly predicted negative and psychological outcomes, while school support predicted positive academic and psychological outcomes. Although LGB students reported worse outcomes overall, the negative impact of SOV was significantly greater for heterosexual students’ reports of school safety, School Motivation, Truancy, and Psychological Distress. School Support had a significantly stronger protective effect on heterosexual students’ grades and Psychological Distress, on LGB students’ Truancy, and on non-SOV students’ School Motivation. Lastly, a significant three-way interaction was found between sexual orientation, SOV, and School Support for Psychological Distress, indicating that School Support buffered each group from Psychological Distress, although it appeared to have a greater buffering effect for heterosexual students in comparison to LGB students, particularly comparing LGB students without SOV to heterosexual students with SOV.