Identifying PTSD trajectories and associated factors in disaster victims.

Understanding the trajectory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in disaster victims remains a critical area of study. This study aimed to classify disaster victims into distinct PTSD trajectory groups and identify the risk and protective factors associated with each group. The study analyzed panel data from 3,288 disaster victims in South Korea, collected over 4 years (2016-2019). Latent class growth analysis was employed to classify PTSD trajectories based on four time-point measurements. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine potential predictors, focusing on individual- and community-level factors. Four distinct PTSD trajectory groups were identified: mild-fluctuating with latent escalation (60%), stable low with gradual relief (20%), chronic high with mild decline (15%), and early high with rapid recovery (5%). Significant predictors included income, resilience, depression, pretrauma history, and community resilience. This study highlights diverse PTSD trajectories and their associated risk and protective factors. Identifying these trajectories provides critical insights for designing tailored interventions to support disaster victims' mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).