Post-traumatic Stress and Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Among Divers of the Italian Navy Employed in Search and Rescue Activities

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S722-S722
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
P. Isabella ◽  
C.A. Bertelloni ◽  
M. Corsi ◽  
G. Massimetti ◽  
...  

IntroductionRescue emergency personnel is at high risk to develop PTSD due to possible extreme and repetitive exposition to “cruel details of traumatic events”.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore posttraumatic stress and subthreshold autism symptomatology and their impact on social and working functioning level among sub mariner of Italian Navy, who were employed in the Costa Concordia and Genova tower rescue operation.MethodsEighty-five subjects were enrolled and investigated by the following instruments: Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR), Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS).ResultsThe response rate was about 50%. Ninety-five percent of the subjects were employed in recovering corpses and 80% reported at least one rescue operation in the last three years. Full and partial DSM-5 PTSD rates were 8% and 27.5%, respectively. A strong correlation emerged between several TALS-SR and ADAS domain. Furthermore, TALS-SR domain scores were related to WSAS domain.ConclusionThis data showed rescue personnel to be at risk for post-traumatic stress spectrum and related work and social impairment. Further studies are needed to better investigate possible risk and resilience factors associated to PTSD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 142-142
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
C. Socci ◽  
M. Corsi ◽  
I. Pergentini ◽  
E. Massimetti ◽  
...  

IntroductionAround 9–20% of bereaved individuals experience symptoms of complicated grief (CG) associated with significant distress and impairment. Increasing research has been focused on identifying the distinctive set of psychiatric symptoms that characterize this condition with respect to major depression, corroborating the need to include this syndrome in the forthcoming DSM-V as a distinctive diagnosis. Vulnerability to CG has been rooted in attachment disturbances and authors reported that symptoms of separation anxiety in childhood should be considered as predictors of CG onset in adulthood.ObjectivesTo date no study explored symptoms of adult separation anxiety among patients with CG with respect to healthy control subjects (HC).AimsTo explore adult separation anxiety and mood spectrum symptoms in patients with CG with respect to HC.Methods53 patients with CG and 50 control subjects were recruited, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pisa. Assessments: SCID-I/P, the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA-27), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Impact of Event Scale (IES) and the Mood Spectrum-Self Report (MOODS-SR) lifetime version.ResultsPatients with CG reported significantly higher scores on the MOODS-SR, ASA_27, IES and WSAS with respect to controls. The scores on the ASA_27 were more strongly associated with IES scores with respect to other scales.ConclusionsOur results suggest a correlation between adult separation anxiety and CG onset after the loss of a loved one in adulthood, with a possible correlation to a post-traumatic stress symptomatology. Further studies are needed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1064-1064
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
C. Socci ◽  
I. Pergentini ◽  
M. Corsi ◽  
E. Massimetti ◽  
...  

IntroductionComplicated grief (CG) is currently under consideration for inclusion in DSM-V and a major issue is whether it can be differentiated from major depression (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).ObjectivesThere is evidence on the role of childhood but not separation anxiety as a significant risk factor for CG, and no study compared CG and PTSD patients with respect to these features.AimsTo compare adult separation anxiety in patients with PTSD versus CG or both conditions. Further, to investigate the possible impact of mood spectrum symptoms in the same samples.MethodsA total sample of 116 patients (66 PTSD, 22 CG and 28 with CG+PTSD) was recruited. Assessments included: the SCID-I/P, the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA-27), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) and the Mood Spectrum-Self Report (MOODS-SR) lifetime version.ResultsCG was strongly associated with female gender (8:1). MDD comorbidity was more common among patients with CG while bipolar disorder was highest among those with PTSD+CG. Patients with both CG and PTSD reported significantly higher ASA_27 (p = 0.008) scores than patients with either CG or PTSD alone. Patients with both diagnoses or PTSD alone reported significantly (p = 0.02) higher scores on the manic component of the MOODS-SR. No significant differences were reported in the WSAS scores.ConclusionsOur results support differences between CG and PTSD, important to consideration of including CG as a new disorder in DSM-V.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S722-S722
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
C. Manni ◽  
G. Cipollone ◽  
C. Tagliarini ◽  
M.T. Avella ◽  
...  

IntroductionPTSD is extremely common in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) with rates up to 57%, and it often correlates with increased severity of the disease.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the presence of PTSD, diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria, and of Post-Traumatic Stress Spectrum symptoms in a sample of patients with FM.MethodsSixty-one patients, 7 males and 54 females, with FM, diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) at the Unit of Rheumatology of A.O.U.P clinics, were assessed by: SCID-5; Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR); Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum).ResultsPatients with FM with full and partial PTSD reported a significantly higher number of losses and potentially traumatic events in the TALS-SR than patients without PTSD. Significantly, higher AdAS Spectrum scores in almost all domains were reported in patients with PTSD with respect to those with partial or without PTSD. Moderate to good correlations were highlighted amongst most of the TALS-SR and ADAS-Spectrum domains.ConclusionsSignificant DSM-5 PTSD rates emerged in our sample of patients with FM. Significant correlations were found between Adult Subthreshold Autism Spectrum and Post-Traumatic Stress Spectrum, corroborating recent hypotheses that indicate autism spectrum symptoms as vulnerability factors for PTSD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S721-S722 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
M. Corsi ◽  
C. Gesi ◽  
C.A. Bertelloni ◽  
V. Pedrinelli ◽  
...  

IntroductionData that assess the co-morbidity between post-traumatic stress symptoms and autism spectrum are scarce. Nevertheless, some authors suggested that subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), due to their difficulty in understanding the codes of communication, empathy, expression, are lower resilience to traumas.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore in a sample of parents of children with epilepsy, the presence of correlations between the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and adult autism subthreshold spectrum.MethodsSeventy-seven parents completed the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR), specifically modified for one's son epileptic disease, and 72 parents completed the AdAS Spectrum (Adult Autism subthreshold Spectrum).ResultsEight subjects (11.1%) presented a total score ≥45 at the AdAS Spectrum, corresponding to the satisfaction of a symptomatic ASD criteria and indicative of the Adult Autism Spectrum subthreshold. More specifically, a total score ≥45 was found in 7 (15.9%) of mothers and 1 (3.6%) of the fathers, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.139).Noteworthy correlations between TALS and AdAS, emerged only in the subgroup of the fathers. In particular, a relevant number of moderate to good correlations emerged between the Domain II (reactions to the events of loss) of the TALS-SR and the AdAS Domain III (non verbal communication), Domain VI (restricted interests and ruminations) and total score.ConclusionsResults indicate that this peculiar psychopathological model could lead to increased vulnerability to effects of the trauma, in particular in male.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damion J. Grasso ◽  
Christine Doyle ◽  
Ron Koon

The Trauma-Related Symptoms and Impairment Rapid Screen (TSIRS) and the Dimensions of Violence Exposure Rapid Screen (DVERS) are two new tools designed to detect traumatic stress symptoms and high-risk characteristics of trauma exposure. Each screen contains 10 yes-or-no questions and is estimated to take approximately 2 min to complete. The rapid screens were developed to address the demand for efficient, effective, and user-friendly tools for use in settings where universal screening of trauma and related symptoms is recommended, but training and expertise in clinical assessment are generally lacking or absent. The purpose of the current study was to examine the predictive utility of the TSIRS and DVERS in detecting probable post-traumatic stress disorder and poly-victimization assessed via a validated self-report instrument. Data were collected on a sample of 218 detained adolescents. Results provide initial support for the predictive utility of the TSIRS and DVERS in a justice-involved sample.


2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damon Lab ◽  
Ines Santos ◽  
Felicity de Zulueta

Aims and MethodTo evaluate the effectiveness of treatment at the Traumatic Stress Service (TSS) by comparing pre- and post-treatment scores on patient self-report measures. Through a questionnaire survey, to explore therapists' views of problems presenting in addition to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how, as a result, they adapted their approach to trauma work.ResultsTherapists reported that their patients present with a range of complex problems, and self-report measures show that patients suffer particularly high levels of psychopathology. Therapists identified a number of adaptations to trauma-focused work to deal with these additional problems. Of the 112 patients who completed therapy, 43% filled in pre- and post-treatment questionnaire measures. Analysis showed clinically and statistically significant improvements in levels of PTSD, depression and social functioning.Clinical ImplicationsThe typical presentation of trauma survivors is often not ‘simple’ PTSD, but PTSD resulting from chronic and multiple traumas and complicated by additional psychological and social difficulties. Adaptations to trauma-focused work can successfully treat such ‘complex’ PTSD.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Hammond ◽  
Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽  
Anna McKinnon ◽  
Tim Dalgleish ◽  
Patrick Smith ◽  
...  

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by children can have a large impact on the wider family. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018) recommend that parents are involved in their child’s PTSD treatment. Studies have found that parents themselves also report high levels of PTSD and other mental health symptoms but few have explored whether these symptoms reduce following their child receiving trauma-focused CBT. In this study, parents (N=29) whose children (ages 8-17 years) were randomly assigned to either 10 sessions of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) or a wait-list control condition (WL) completed the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; to measure depression), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28; to measure general mental health) for pre-post comparison. Parents whose children were allocated to CT-PTSD reported greater improvements on self-report PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health, relative to the WL condition. This trial provides preliminary support for the efficacy of CT-PTSD delivered to children for reducing parent PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health symptoms. Replication is needed as well as further exploration of parent factors and frequency of parental involvement required to predict improvements.


Author(s):  
M Sadeghi khorashad ◽  
E Rezaieyan ◽  
A Abdolahnezhad

Introduction: Firefighters are at high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and that Quality of Life (QoL) is seriously compromised in individuals who have PTSD. This study was designed to assess the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorders and quality of life among firefighters. Materials and Methods: In this analytical and cross-sectional study, all firefighters in Birjand city were selected by census method (N = 96) in 2018. PTSD and QoL status was assessed by the Persian version of the Mississippi (Eshel) and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires, respectively. Using Cronbach's α, the Iranian version of these two scales' internal reliability has been reported to be 0.92 and more than 0.7, respectively. Data analysis using SPSS software version 21 and independent T-test, ANOVA, Tukey's test, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Results: The results showed that most firefighters (70.5%) were suffered from moderate PTSD symptoms (79.2± 11.7). Based on the self-report scale, 53.7% of the firefighters rated their quality of life as Good, and 43.2% of the firefighters were satisfied with their health. Statistical analysis showed that there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between PTSD score and areas of mental health (P = 0.03), social relations (P = 0.002), and environmental health (P = 0.004). Between PTSD score and physical health, no statistically significant relationship was found (P = 0.08). Conclusion: This study has proven a high rate of PTSD among firefighters and its negative correlation with the quality of their life. However, most firefighters rated their health and quality of life as good. Implementing strategies to combat mental disorders among firefighters improves the quality of their life and increases their job productivity.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1087-1087
Author(s):  
M. Tadevosyan ◽  
A. Babakhanya-Gambaryan

IntroductionGrowing stress and extreme situations create serious psychological problems, for solving which a person must get adopted to new situations different from stress- formed conditions, “suppressing” herewith spontaneous aggression and anxiety that quite often leads to both forming anti- and asocial behavior and the development of somatoform disorders.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine the development of several PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) symptoms actual in PTSD dynamics.AimTo determine how growing of actual parameters impacts on development of PTSD.MethodsIn this study material of observation, testing and diagnoses of 30 male Karabagh war volunteers at the age of 35–61 (48 ± 8) were used. The psychiatric disorders (among the examined patients) corresponded to ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The observation period included 15–18 years. The clinical self- report scale SCL-90-R was used to assess several psychological features.ResultsAll the actual SCL-90 properties exceed the pathological level (≥2). In particular, somatisation level was 2, 2 ± 0, 5 in 2009 vs. 1, 97 ± 0,10 in 1996. It is caused, on the one hand, by the presence of unconscious suppressed anxiety, on the other hand, by the evident deterioration of the patients’ somatoneurological status. Besides, growing aggression is revealed (SCL- hostility) (2,4 ± 0,8 in 2009 vs. 2, 24 ± 0,16 in 1996), that indicates gradual forming of organic cerebral changes.ConclusionThe comparison of 1996–2009 features enables to hypothesize, that development of actual parameters is essential in PTSD dynamics at the stage of distant results.


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