Social support and coping styles as mediators in the relationship between family resilience and post‐traumatic stress disorder among Chinese children during <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 pandemic: A three‐wave study

Abstract During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the implementation of prolonged quarantine measures has rendered individuals, particularly children, vulnerable to various negative psychological effects, such as post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study aimed to examine the protective association of family resilience on PTSD over time, and to explore the potential mediating effects of social support and coping style. The sample of the current study consisted of 421 primary school students (227 males, M age = 11.44, SD = 1.64) from Nanjing, China, and the measurements were conducted at three time periods during the COVID‐19 outbreak. Results indicated that family resilience negatively predicted PTSD over time, with social support mediating this relationship. Furthermore, the serial mediating effects of positive cognitive coping style and avoidant coping style on this relationship were also significant. To effectively reduce children's PTSD symptoms and protect their mental health, it is imperative to prioritise the enhancement of family resilience during such stressful circumstances.