Instrument
PTSD symptoms were assessed using the revised Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (Weiss, 2007). The IES-R is a 22-item self-report measure consisting of three subscales: reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. All items are rated on a five-point scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). A total score greater than 12 has been reported to predict clinical symptoms of PTSD, and higher total scores indicate more severe symptoms (Sheen, Spiby, & Slade, 2015). The full score in this sample demonstrates excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.912).
Mindfulness was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) (Deng et al., 2012). The MAAS was widely used to assess individuals’ awareness of the present moment and their level of attention. It consists of a 15-item scale with a range from 1 (almost always) to 6 (almost never); higher scores indicate higher state mindfulness. The Cronbach’s alpha of MAAS was 0.903 in this study, indicating a high level of internal consistency.
Emotional exhaustion was assessed using the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) created by Maslach and Jackson (1981). The emotional exhaustion subscale consisted of 9 items, which were rated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 “never” to 6 “every day”. Higher scores indicated higher frequencies of experienced emotional exhaustion. The scale showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.972) in this sample.
Coping styles were evaluated using the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) (Yaning, 1988). The SCSQ was widely used to measure participants’ coping styles in response to life events. This questionnaire consists of 12 items related to positive coping and 8 items related to negative coping, with a response range from 0 (never) to 3 (always). The higher the one-dimensional scores, the more individuals tended to adopt this kind of coping style. The Cronbach’s alpha for the positive coping style and the negative coping style was 0.932 and 0.895, respectively, in this sample.