Changes and predictive factors of psychological symptoms in adolescents following the typhoon ‘Yagi’: a latent change score analysis

Background: In 2024, Super Typhoon Yagi made landfall in Hainan, China, causing severe damage. Focusing on the change patterns and risk and protective factors of post-disaster psychological symptoms is of great significance for psychological assistance for disasters. However, existing research has primarily targeted adults. Objectives: This study aimed to examine changes in adolescents’ psychological symptoms (posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) after Typhoon Yagi and identify risk and protective factors. Methods: Two-wave longitudinal surveys were conducted at one and a half and six months post-disaster with 734 adolescents (60.22% female) from severely affected areas in Hainan Province. Three latent change score models were used separately for posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms to estimate changes in symptoms over time and identify risk and protective factors. Results: Adolescents’ posttraumatic stress symptoms remained generally stable, with depressive and anxiety symptoms showing a non-significant declining trend within six months. Higher initial symptom levels were predicted by direct disaster exposure, family members’ fear, and previous super typhoon exposure, whereas optimism and hope, family support, and safe shelter after the typhoon served as protective factors. Regarding changes in symptoms, female sex predicted slower recovery, whereas higher coping self-efficacy predicted greater symptom reduction. Conclusion: These findings deepen the understanding of adolescents’ psychological symptom trajectories, highlighting the importance of optimism and hope, coping self-efficacy, and perception of family members’ fear and support. The study provides new insights for tailoring targeted psychological interventions based on distinct adaptation patterns.