(PS6-D89) Harnessing Communal Strengths: Examining Community Resilience and Positive Mental Health Outcomes Among Forcibly Displaced Persons Globally

Community resilience (i.e., a community’s political and social networks utilized to provide access to resources) has yet to be investigated as a predictor of positive mental health outcomes among a global sample of forcibly displaced persons. Given the substantial systemic barriers that forcibly displaced persons face, and the paucity of research on community resilience in this population, a focus on this systemic resilience factor is needed. The current study examined community resilience as a predictor of low symptom severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), as well as greater individual resilience, reflecting an individual ability to attain adaptive outcomes despite adversity. Social connectedness may share features with community resilience and moderate the relationship between it and mental health outcomes. Additionally, given research suggesting that forcibly displaced women may be more likely to utilize community resilience and, on the contrary, that cultural and religious norms may bar women from its benefits, gender was also examined as a moderator. Adults (N = 272 baseline, n = 108 follow-up) who identified as forcibly displaced were recruited via an MTurk survey study examining resilience and mental health at baseline and 1- and 3- month follow-up. Most participants met clinical cutoffs at baseline for PTSD (73.2%; PDS-5), MDD (79.0%; PHQ-9), and GAD (63.2%; GAD-7).  Community resilience scores (CCRAM-10) were slightly positive (M = 3.51, range = 1.00 - 5.00) and did not significantly differ from baseline to follow-up. Multilevel linear regression models indicated that higher baseline community resilience predicted higher baseline PTSD, B = 2.87, p = .019, and MDD symptoms, B = 1.20, p = .008, but did not predict PTSD, B = -.008, p = .996, or MDD symptoms, B = .028, p = .964, at 3-month follow-up. Baseline community resilience did not predict baseline GAD symptoms, B = 0.616, p = .075, but greater community resilience was associated with decreased GAD symptoms at 3-month follow-up, B = -0.91, p = .049. Baseline community resilience predicted higher baseline individual resilience, B = 1.69, p = < .001, as well as increases in individual resilience at 3-month follow-up, B = 1.95, p = .005. Neither social connectedness nor gender moderated any of the community resilience and mental health outcome associations. These findings suggest that the relationship between community resilience and mental health outcomes may be complex and vary by symptomatology. On the one hand, it is possible that individuals with PTSD and/or MDD symptoms may utilize communal support and resources when they are most symptomatic. On the other hand, strong social networks and trust in local leadership, as well as access to resources, may provide a necessary foundation for displaced persons to address and reduce anxiety symptoms. Results support efforts to educate community members about local resources that exist to support them. Future research may examine whether there is a curvilinear relationship between community resilience and PTSD and MDD symptom severity.