Effects of traumatic events, social support, and self-efficacy on adolescents' self-health assessments

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adolescen ts' exposure to traumatic events and their self-health assessments, and to examine the protective effects of social support and self-efficacy on this relationship. Survey results (N = 1,427) indicated that experiencing violen t and nonviolent negative life events and being exposed to a disaster were inversely associated with adolescents' positive health assessments. As soci al support and self-efficacy decreased, adolescents' health assessments wor sened. Female and Black adolescents had less favorable health assessments t han their male and White counterparts. Findings suggest that traumatic even ts are predictive of adolescents' health assessments and that social suppor t and self-e;self-efficacy prevent adolescents' health assessments from dec lining following traumatic events.