Cohen, Joseph R.Danielson, Carla KmettAdams, Zachary W.Ruggiero, Kenneth J.2024-10-032024-10-032016Cohen JR, Danielson CK, Adams ZW, Ruggiero KJ. Distress Tolerance and Social Support in Adolescence: Predicting Risk for Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Following a Natural Disaster. J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2016;38(4):538-546. doi:10.1007/s10862-016-9545-yhttps://hdl.handle.net/1805/43755The purpose of the multi-measure, multi-wave, longitudinal study was to examine the interactive relation between behavioral distress tolerance (DT) and perceived social support (PSS) in 352 tornado-exposed adolescents aged 12–17 years (M=14.44; SD=1.74). At baseline, adolescents completed a computer-based task for DT, and self-report measures of PSS, depressed mood, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, and interpersonal conflict. Symptoms also were assessed 4 and 12 months after baseline. Findings showed that lower levels of DT together with lower levels of PSS conferred risk for elevated symptoms of prospective depression (t(262)= −2.04, p=.04; reffect size=0.13) and PTSD (t(195)= −2.08, p=.04; reffect size=0.15) following a tornado. However, only PSS was significant in substance use t(139)=2.20, p=.03; reffect size=0.18) and conflict (t(138)=−4.05, p<.0001; reffect size=0.33) in our sample. Implications regarding adolescent DT, the transdiagnostic nature of PSS, and the clinical applications of our findings in the aftermath of a natural disaster are discussed.en-USPublisher PolicyDistress tolerancePerceived social supportNatural disastersAdolescenceArticle