Τίτλος:
Coping and Its Relation to PTSD in Greek Firefighters
Γλώσσες Τεκμηρίου:
Αγγλικά
Περίληψη:
Firefighters are exposed continuously to intense stress situations and traumatic incidents, and are at high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Coping mechanisms and behaviors have been examined as factors contributing to PTSD. The strategies that may be used to cope with stress and/or trauma differ between individuals and also between different professions and traumatic events (Nydegger et al., 2011). Although there is a vast literature on stress and coping processes that exists, very few studies investigated the way individual firefighters cope with trauma. Among several questionnaires that have been used to examine the effects of different types of coping mechanisms after traumatic incidents is the Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Coping Style Questionnaire (AECOM-CSQ; Plutchik and Conte, 1989). In August 2007, large areas in the Peloponnese, Greece, were devastated by wildfires. One month after the event, experienced researchers visited the affected area to provide psychological support and to investigate the psychosocial consequences among the local professional firefighters. One hundred two firefighters that were on duty for the entire period of firefighting (several days) were interviewed using several questionnaires, among them the AECOM-CSQ. Our hypothesis was that firefighters who presented with PTSD would be more inclined toward engaging in avoidance coping mechanisms. A total of 18.6% of the firefighters were found to have PTSD according to ICD-10 criteria. Logistic regression showed that firefighters using the coping mechanisms of minimization and blame were associated with the greater likelihood of PTSD. It seems that specific coping mechanisms used by firefighters immediately after the traumatic event might contribute to the development of PTSD. © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Συγγραφείς:
Theleritis, C.
Psarros, C.
Mantonakis, L.
Roukas, D.
Papaioannou, A.
Paparrigopoulos, T.
Bergiannaki, J.D.
Περιοδικό:
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Εκδότης:
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Λέξεις-κλειδιά:
adult; albert einstein college of medicine coping style questionnaire; anxiety assessment; anxiety inventory; Article; avoidance behavior; blame behavior; coping behavior; fire fighter; Greece; human; ICD-10; job stress; male; mapping behavior; mini international neuropsychiatric interview; minimization behavior; posttraumatic stress disorder; questionnaire; replacement behavior; reversal behavior; sensitivity and specificity; substitution behavior; succorance behavior; suppression behavior; distress syndrome; posttraumatic stress disorder; psychology; risk factor, Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Firefighters; Greece; Humans; Male; Psychological Distress; Risk Factors; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Surveys and Questionnaires
DOI:
10.1097/NMD.0000000000001103
