What does this research mean for the field?

Direct exposure to a human-made disaster results in sustained long-term psychological burden and PTSD symptoms, and while perceived social support is associated with lower overall psychological distress, it does not significantly buffer the association between disaster exposure and PTSD symptoms. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine the long-term psychological consequences of a naval base explosion and determine whether perceived social support buffers post-traumatic stress and psychological distress.

August 22, 2026BMC PsychiatryOpen Access

The long-term psychological impact of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion and the role of social support in recovery

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Authors

TCThetida ChristouUniversity of Nicosia MSMark J. M. SullmanUniversity of Helsinki MAMarios AdonisUniversity of Nicosia

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Implication

Observational study reveals persistent psychological distress two years after a naval blast, highlighting the need for sustained mental health support.

Key Points

To examine the long-term psychological consequences of a naval base explosion and determine whether perceived social support buffers post-traumatic stress and psychological distress.
Assessed 243 individuals (aged 19–70 years) stratified into three exposure tiers: blast radius residents, first responders, and the general population.
Administered questionnaires measuring PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21), alongside perceived social support, at two years post-blast using covariate-adjusted and moderation models.
Significant exposure-group differences were observed for PTSD symptoms (F(2, 236) = 8.70, p < .001) and overall distress (F(2, 236) = 6.46, p = .002), with the blast radius group showing the highest adjusted PTSD (M = 32.04) and DASS-21 scores (M = 17.93).
Higher perceived social support correlated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress after adjustment, but failed to significantly buffer the relationship between blast exposure and PTSD symptoms.

Cite This Study

Christou et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a895eeeca7ade938187d2f6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-026-08524-w

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Implication

Observational study reveals persistent psychological distress two years after a naval blast, highlighting the need for sustained mental health support.

The long-term psychological impact of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion and the role of social support in recovery

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

The long-term psychological impact of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion and the role of social support in recovery

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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