Psychological consequences of the Bam earthquake on professional and nonprofessional helpers

Abstract

This study compared the psychological status of rescue personnel who had formal training (Red Crescent workers, i.e., Red Cross workers, and firefighters) with university student volunteers who had no formal training in handling traumatic situations in the Bam earthquake. One hundred student volunteers, 18 Red Crescent workers, and 36 firefighters participated in this study. Participants completed the Civilian Mississippi Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Helpers without formal training showed higher scores on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and GHQ subscales compared to trained rescue personnel. In addition, a significant number of volunteers without formal training met criteria for a possible PTSD diagnosis by scoring above the cut-off point for the Mississippi scale. Those who had higher scores on the Anxiety Sensitivity Index showed greater adverse psychological effects.

Acute stress reactions among medical and non-medical personnel in a general hospital under missile attacks

“…This possibility is consistent with pervious studies reporting higher levels of PTSD symptoms among non-professional rescue workers compared to professional ones. [18,19] Another possible moderator of the association between exposure to stress and PTSD in this study was gender. The higher level of PS and probable PTSD in female participants in this study is consistent with previous reports of women being more likely than men to experience PTSD symptoms.…”

Resilience: research evidence and conceptual considerations for posttraumatic stress disorder

“…These individual were thought to be protected by their commitment to a cause, training in stoicism, and prior knowledge about torture techniques [Basoglu et al, 1997]. Other researchers have also found that prior training in emergency work appears to enhance resilience [Alvarez and Hunt, 2005;Hagh-Shenas et al, 2005].…”

Anxiety sensitivity and posttraumatic stress among traumatic event-exposed youth

“…Several studies have documented positive correlations between AS and posttraumatic stress symptom levels among traumatic event exposed adults (e.g., Feldner, Zvolensky, Schmidt, & Smith, in press;Hagh-Shenas, Goodarzi, Dehbozorgi, & Farashbandi, 2005). Asmundson, Norton, Allerdings, Norton, and Larsen (1998) examined AS and posttraumatic stress among 121 adults who had experienced a work-related injury.…”