Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Vicarious Trauma in Mental Health Professionals

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. e25-e31 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Finklestein ◽  
E. Stein ◽  
T. Greene ◽  
I. Bronstein ◽  
Z. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Vicarious Trauma ◽  
Stress Disorder

scholarly journals CB-Art Interventions Implemented with Mental Health Professionals Working in a Shared War Reality: Transforming Negative Images and Enhancing Coping Resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorit Segal-Engelchin ◽  
Netta Achdut ◽  
Efrat Huss ◽  
Orly Sarid
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Vicarious Trauma ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Distress Symptoms ◽  
Negative Images

Research on mental health professionals (MHPs) exposed to a shared war reality indicates that they are subject to emotional distress, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and vicarious trauma. This article focuses on a CB-ART (cognitive behavioral and art-based) intervention implemented during the 2014 Gaza conflict with 51 MHPs who shared war-related experiences with their clients. The intervention included drawing pictures related to three topics: (1) war-related stressors, (2) coping resources, and (3) integration of the stressful image and the resources drawing. The major aims of the study were (1) to examine whether significant changes occurred in MHP distress levels after the intervention; (2) to explore the narratives of the three drawing and their compositional characteristics; and (3) to determine which of selected formats of the integrated drawing and compositional transformations of the stressful image are associated with greater distress reduction. Results indicate that MHP distress levels significantly decreased after the intervention. This stress-reducing effect was also reflected in differences between the compositional elements of the ‘stress drawing’ and the ‘integrated drawing,’ which includes elements of resources. Reduced distress accompanied compositional transformations of the stressful image. MHPs can further use the easily implemented intervention described here as a coping tool in other stressful situations.

scholarly journals Risk of Developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in COVID-19 Survivors: What Should Mental Health Specialists Prepare For?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Sękowski ◽  
Małgorzata Gambin ◽  
Karolina Hansen ◽  
Paweł Holas ◽  
Sylwia Hyniewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Ptsd Prevalence

Given the high COVID-19 mortality, the disease itself may be experienced as a life-threatening and traumatic event. Therefore, in the article we try to answer three questions that are relevant to public mental health: Should mental health professionals prepare for the increase in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence due to the pandemic? Can we define groups of COVID-19 survivors who are at higher risk of developing PTSD? How can health specialists prepare for it? Given the results of previous research on PTSD in epidemic survivors (e.g. SARS), we suggest that mental health professionals in countries touched by the pandemic should prepare for an increase in the PTSD prevalence in individuals who have had COVID-19. The PTSD risk group includes mainly individuals: from groups at increased risk of complications or who have experienced complications; who were not provided healthcare due to health service overload; experiencing additional mental health problems; healthcare workers; and stigmatized groups. We postulate that individuals who experienced COVID-19 should be routinely screened for PTSD; particular attention should be given to individuals at risk. Mental health services should prepare for providing therapeutic interventions for individuals with PTSD, and support to families, especially children, of COVID-19 survivors with PTSD.

scholarly journals Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety among hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaru Chen ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
Chengyuan Zhang ◽  
Yuanyuan An ◽  
Yiming Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Negative News

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected more than 5 million people around the world and killed more than 300,000 people; thus, it has become a global public health emergency. Our objective was to investigate the mental health of hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods The PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Trauma Exposure Scale, abbreviated version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) and Demographic Questionnaire were used to examine posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, trauma exposure, resilience and perceived social support among 898 patients who were hospitalized after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in China. The data were analyzed with t tests, one-way ANOVA and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results The results showed that the prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety was 13.2, 21.0 and 16.4%, respectively. Hospitalized patients who were more impacted by negative news reports, had greater exposure to traumatic experiences, and had lower levels of perceived social support reported higher PTSD, depression and anxiety. Conclusions Effective professional mental health services should be designed to support the psychological wellbeing of hospitalized patients, especially those who have severe disease, are strongly affected by negative news and have high levels of exposure to trauma.

scholarly journals Posttraumatic stress disorder among adolescents in Brazil: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joviana Quintes Avanci ◽  
Fernanda Serpeloni ◽  
Thiago Pires de Oliveira ◽  
Simone Gonçalves de Assis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Community Violence ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Psychological Violence

Abstract Background The frequency of trauma and different types of violence exposure in urban areas and their effects on the mental health of adolescents in developing countries are poorly investigated. Most information about traumatized young people comes from war scenarios or disasters. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PTSD in trauma-exposed students in a low-resource city of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The effects of sociodemographic and individual and family factors in the development of PTSD were also investigated. Methods Through multi-stage cluster sampling, 862 adolescents (Mage = 15 years old, 65% female) from public and private schools in the city of São Gonçalo were selected for the study. Self-rating structured questionnaires were applied to assess sociodemographic profile, exposure to physical and psychological violence (family, school, community), sexual abuse, social support, social functional impairment, resilience, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The data were grouped in blocks regarding sociodemographic, individual, family, and community variables. For statistical analysis, chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression were performed. Results The PTSD prevalence was 7.8% among adolescents. Boys were exposed to significantly higher number of events of community violence, while girls to family violence. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for PTSD were statistically significant for age (OR, 1.45, [95% CI, 1.043–2.007]), social functional impairment (OR, 4.82, [95% CI, 1.77–13.10]), severe maternal physical violence (OR, 2.79, [95% CI, 0.79–9.93]), psychological violence by significant people (OR, 3.96, [95% CI, 1.89–8.31]) and a high number of episodes of community violence (OR, 3.52, [95% CI, 1.47–8.40). Conclusions There was a high prevalence of PTSD within this population associated with exposure to violence. Not only physical, but also psychological violence contributed to PTSD. The results also raise awareness to the differences in life trajectories between boys and girls regarding violence. These differences need to be better understood in order to enable the development of effective preventative interventions. Treating and preventing mental health disorders presents a challenge for countries, especially those with a lower degree of social and economic development and high community violence.

Age moderates the relationship between source of social support and mental health in racial minority lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 888-897
Author(s):  
Anna E Wise ◽  
Brian C Smith ◽  
Aaron P Armelie ◽  
Jessica M Boarts ◽  
Douglas L Delahanty
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Racial Minority ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
And Bisexual ◽  
The Relationship

We examined the relationship between source of social support and mental health (and the moderating impact of age) in 64 low socioeconomic status, racial minority lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents/young adults. Social support from family ( β = −.302, p = .03; β = −.364, p = .008), but not friends or significant others, was independently related to posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms, respectively. Family social support was associated with lower posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms in participants aged 16–19 years, while friend social support was associated with lower symptoms for participants aged over 20 years. Friend social support was also associated with lower posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in participants aged 16–17 years. Interventions should target age-appropriate sources of social support.

scholarly journals Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Adjustment Disorder in Lithuanian Healthcare in 2018–2020: A Nation-Wide Cohort Study of the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1422
Author(s):  
Evaldas Kazlauskas ◽  
Odeta Gelezelyte ◽  
Auguste Nomeikaite ◽  
Paulina Zelviene
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Adjustment Disorder ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
National Healthcare

Multiple empirical studies have revealed significant pandemic effects of COVID-19 on mental health in various populations. This study aimed to analyze the incidences of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and adjustment disorder (AjD) in national healthcare in 2018–2020 in one of the European countries—Lithuania—and estimate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on PTSD and AjD incidences in 2020. The national healthcare registry was used for estimations of diagnosis of PTSD, AjD, and major depressive disorder (MD). The study revealed that stress-related disorders PTSD and AjD are diagnosed rarely, resulting in a considerable gap between the expected prevalence and incidences of these diagnoses in healthcare in Lithuania. Moreover, a significant decline in mental disorders incidence in healthcare in 2020, in comparison to 2018 and 2019, was found, revealing that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on access to healthcare services and increased barriers for mental disorders treatment. The study indicates that major developments in building up knowledge about the effects of trauma and life stressors on mental health are needed in Lithuania and other countries to increase awareness about stress-related disorders and improve care for trauma survivors, in particular in the context of the pandemics or other large-scale disasters.

scholarly journals The role of social support in the relationship between mental health and posttraumatic stress disorder amongst orthopaedic patients

Curationis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vhuhwavho M. Maselesele ◽  
Erhabor S. Idemudia
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Orthopaedic Trauma ◽  
Orthopaedic Patients ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Some life-event experiences such as injuries in car accidents, gun shots and the like, can be life changing and traumatic. Objectives: The article investigated the relationship between mental health and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after orthopaedic trauma, and attempted to understand whether social support moderates the relationship between mental health and PTSD.Method: A cross-sectional research model was used. Two hundred participants were selected using simple randomisation within a hospital complex in Gauteng, South Africa. The sample consisted of 110 men and 90 women (x̄ = 37.8 years, s.d. = 12.9 years). Data were collected using the Revised Civilian Mississippi Scale for PTSD, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the General Health Questionnaire version 28.Results: The findings of the study indicated that there is a statistically significant relationship between mental health and PTSD after orthopaedic trauma, and a positive correlation between poor mental health and PTSD (r = 0.52, n = 200, p < 0.05). However, perceived social support did not moderate mental health or PTSD, indicating that perceived social support did not significantly influence mental health or PTSD, (MSPSS B = 0.07, p = 0.66). Those with high scores on social support had a lower regression coefficient (B = 0.19) for mental health and PTSD than those who reported low social support (B = 0.26).Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between mental health and PTSD of orthopaedic patients, and social support did not moderate the relationship between mental health and PTSD. 

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document