The Strongest Correlates of PTSD for Firefighters: Number, Recency, Frequency, or Perceived Threat of Traumatic Events?

Pinto, Ricardo J.; Henriques, Sandra P.; Jongenelen, Inês; Carvalho, Cláudia; Maia, Ângela

doi:10.1002/jts.22035

Cited by 51 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Peritraumatic suffering for duty-related PTE was also correlated with PTSS in our study. Several studies have shown that greater peritraumatic distress was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms (Başoglu & Paker, 1995;Pinto, Henriques, Jongenelen, Carvalho, & Maia, 2015). On the other hand, Briere, Scott, and Weathers (2005) claimed that the effect of peritraumatic distress on the development of PTSD was no more significant after controlling for other risk factors, including age, sex, trauma type, dissociation symptoms, memory disturbance, and emotional constriction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Duty‐Related Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Professional Firefighters

Lee¹,

Lee²,

Kim

et al. 2017

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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Firefighters commonly encounter traumatic events during duty hours. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of duty-related trauma as risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in professional firefighters. A sample of 212 firefighters participated in the study and completed self-reported questionnaires. Potentially traumatic events (PTE) were assessed using a list of 17 traumatic event types. The posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (Lim et al., 2009; Weiss, 2007). A higher score for the composite index, which reflects both multiple PTE and peritraumatic suffering, increased the odds for significant PTSS after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, education, numbers of years worked, childhood trauma, and depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.26, p = .001, Cohen's d = 0.20). Furthermore, indirect (AOR = 1.93, p = .009, Cohen's d = .16) and colleague-related PTE (AOR = 1.97, p = .037, Cohen's d = .16) showed significant associations with PTSS. It is noteworthy that the combination of multiple PTE and peritraumatic suffering was more predictive of PTSS than either factor alone. Our findings also suggest that daily work exposure to indirect PTE may contribute to the occurrence of PTSS among professional firefighters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Duty‐Related Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Professional Firefighters

Lee¹,

Lee²,

Kim

et al. 2017

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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“…High-risk populations such as war-affected people, refugees, firefighters, or police officers often experience traumatization sequentially (Harvey et al, 2015; Levy-Gigi, Richter-Levin, Okon-Singer, Keri, & Bonanno, 2015), which has a significant impact on the development of mental disorders, for example, PTSD, depression, and anxiety (Kartal & Kiropoulos, 2016; Pinto, Henriques, Jongenelen, Carvalho, & Maia, 2015; Stanley, Hom, & Joiner, 2016). Several studies have provided evidence that individuals suffering from PTSD in the aftermath of an initial trauma are vulnerable to increased PTSD symptoms after subsequently experiencing a new traumatic event (Bramsen, Van Der Ploeg, & Boers, 2006; Fossion et al, 2015; Hantman & Solomon, 2007; Kinzie, Boehnlein, Riley, & Sparr, 2002).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of new traumatic or stressful life events on pre-existing PTSD in traumatized refugees: results of a longitudinal study

Schock

Böttche

Rosner

et al. 2016

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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BackgroundA significant proportion of trauma survivors experience an additional critical life event in the aftermath. These renewed experiences of traumatic and stressful life events may lead to an increase in trauma-related mental health symptoms.MethodIn a longitudinal study, the effects of renewed experiences of a trauma or stressful life event were examined. For this purpose, refugees seeking asylum in Germany were assessed for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS), Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), anxiety, and depression (Hopkins Symptom Checklist [HSCL-25]) before treatment start as well as after 6 and 12 months during treatment (N=46). Stressful life events and traumatic events were recorded monthly. If a new event happened, PDS and HSCL were additionally assessed directly afterwards. Mann–Whitney U-tests were performed to calculate the differences between the group that experienced an additional critical event (stressful vs. trauma) during treatment (n=23) and the group that did not (n=23), as well as differences within the critical event group between the stressful life event group (n=13) and the trauma group (n=10).ResultsRefugees improved significantly during the 12-month period of our study, but remained severely distressed. In a comparison of refugees with a new stressful life event or trauma, significant increases in PTS, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were found directly after the experience, compared to the group without a renewed event during the 12 months of treatment. With regard to the different critical life events (stressful vs. trauma), no significant differences were found regarding overall PTS, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Only avoidance symptoms increased significantly in the group experiencing a stressful life event.ConclusionAlthough all clinicians should be aware of possible PTS symptom reactivation, especially those working with refugees and asylum seekers, who often experience new critical life events, should understand symptom fluctuation and address it in treatment.Highlights of the articleWithin a longitudinal design, refugees currently in treatment are compared concerning symptom course after new traumatic or stressful events.New stressful life events and traumatic events increase posttraumatic, anxious, and depressive symptoms in the first 6 months after the events.Stressful and traumatic events overall did not show differential symptom exacerbations.Only avoidance symptoms were an exception; stressful life events were associated with an increase in PTS avoidance symptoms.Because reducing avoidance is the pivotal mechanism of psychotherapy with PTSD patients, clinicians should anticipate PTS symptom reactivation when patients are re-exposed to significant stressful stimuli, especially with asylum seekers and refugees, who often experience new stressful events.

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“…Although the full criterion A definition of trauma may not be the best predictor, there is some evidence that particular elements of it (e.g., life threat, change in life circumstances, moral injury) may be potent predictors of PTSD [5][6][7] . For instance, perceived threat is likely more important than other objective aspects of an event (e.g., number of exposures) [8] .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Did the DSM-5 Improve the Traumatic Stressor Criterion?: Association of DSM-IV and DSM-5 Criterion A with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Larsen

Berenbaum²

2017

Psychopathology

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Objective: A recent meta-analysis found that DSM-III- and DSM-IV-defined traumas were associated with only slightly higher posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than nontraumatic stressors. The current study is the first to examine whether DSM-5-defined traumas were associated with higher levels of PTSD than DSM-IV-defined traumas. Further, we examined theoretically relevant event characteristics to determine whether characteristics other than those outlined in the DSM could predict PTSD symptoms. Method: One hundred six women who had experienced a trauma or significant stressor completed questionnaires assessing PTSD, depression, impairment, and event characteristics. Events were rated for whether they qualified as DSM-IV and DSM-5 trauma. Results: There were no significant differences between DSM-IV-defined traumas and stressors. For DSM-5, effect sizes were slightly larger but still nonsignificant (except for significantly higher hyperarousal following traumas vs. stressors). Self-reported fear for one's life significantly predicted PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the current DSM-5 definition of trauma, although a slight improvement from DSM-IV, is not highly predictive of who develops PTSD symptoms. Our study also indicates the importance of individual perception of life threat in the prediction of PTSD.

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The Strongest Correlates of PTSD for Firefighters: Number, Recency, Frequency, or Perceived Threat of Traumatic Events?

Cited by 51 publications

References 35 publications

Duty‐Related Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Professional Firefighters

Duty‐Related Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Professional Firefighters

Impact of new traumatic or stressful life events on pre-existing PTSD in traumatized refugees: results of a longitudinal study

Did the DSM-5 Improve the Traumatic Stressor Criterion?: Association of DSM-IV and DSM-5 Criterion A with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

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