Trauma and Temperament as Predictors of Intensity of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Disaster

Abstract

Abstract. This study assesses the impact of temperament and trauma considered as predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms experienced during flood and coal mining accidents. Five samples were studied - one comprised of coal miners who experienced a mining catastrophe (N = 52) and four samples of flood victims (N = 1041), including 562 females. PTSD symptoms were measured - depending on the sample under study - at different time periods (from 3 months to 3 years), and in two samples repeated measures were taken. For measuring symptoms of PTSD the PTSD-Factorial Version inventory constructed in our laboratory was applied. Temperamental traits were assessed by means of the Formal Characteristics of Behavior - Temperament Inventory. Intensity of trauma and prolonged trauma consequences were measured by means of an interview. For analyzing the data coefficients of correlation and hierarchical regression were used. In all samples such temperament traits as briskness and endurance act as buffers resulting in lowering the effect of trauma inducing events. On the other hand, perseverance and emotional reactivity act as augmenters that result in increasing the effect of experienced trauma. In all samples emotional reactivity was the best predictor of the intensity of PTSD symptoms. In samples in which measures of trauma were included both variables - trauma and emotional reactivity - contributed essentially as predictors of PTSD symptoms and this held true independent of whether PTSD was assessed 3 months, 15 months, or 3 years after experiencing the disaster (flood).

Temperamental correlates of trauma symptoms in firemen, policemen and soldiers

“…The 1st symptom involves recurrent thoughts (flashbacks) about the traumatic event, which are a source of intensive psycho-physiological arousal, while the 2nd symptom involves avoidance of trauma-related stimuli and diminished reactions to these stimuli [20]. The results of our previous studies showed that ER and PE intensified trauma symptoms in a group of disaster victims [21], in cancer patients [22] and in HIV+ individuals [23]. Both traits, ER and PE, were also positively correlated with somatic anxiety in students [24].…”

Posttraumatic growth following the death of someone close – the role of temperament and resiliency

“…A negative relationship between emotional reactivity and total posttraumatic growth was very likely, whereas the negative association between briskness and positive changes in relations with others was not congruent with the expectations. Emotional reactivity also allows one to predict PTSD symptoms (Oniszczenko, 2010;Strelau and Zawadzki, 2005). Additionally, emotional reactivity is a trait that shares essential variance with neuroticism, which is negatively related to growth after trauma (Linley and Joseph, 2004).…”

“…Furthermore, emotional reactivity appeared to be the best predictor of PTSD's intensity. Strelau & Zawadzki (2005) stress that briskness and endurance, which are related to rather chronically decreased activation levels, share some common variance with extraversion; whereas emotional reactivity reveals a positive relationship to neuroticism, which in turn is negatively related to posttraumatic growth.…”

“…Temperamental traits are rather formal behavioural characteristics, no matter what this behavioural content or direction is (Strelau, Zawadzki, 2005). Their contribution to behaviour is especially evident when individuals are confronted with stressful demands, including participation in traumatic events.…”

“…Their contribution to behaviour is especially evident when individuals are confronted with stressful demands, including participation in traumatic events. In a study conducted by Strelau & Zawadzki (2005) temperamental traits such as emotional reactivity and perseveration were positively related to PTSD, whereas briskness and endurance -negatively. Briskness and endurance act as buffers lowering the trauma-inducing effect.…”