Social Desirability in the Assessment of Trauma

1996 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 511-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Brunet ◽  
Caroline Boucher ◽  
Richard Boyer
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Bus Drivers ◽  
Moderator Variable ◽  
City Bus ◽  
Lifetime Exposure ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

Since admitting distress is often considered undesirable, the role of social desirability as a moderator variable in the assessment of traumatic events scores, on the PTSD Interview, and diagnosis was investigated. A sample of 342 city bus drivers were grouped by their lifetime exposure to trauma (nonexposed, stressful but nontraumatic event, traumatic event). Analyses replicate and extend findings from the literature on life events: social desirability plays a marginal role as a moderator variable in the assessment of trauma.

Lifetime Exposure to Traumatic Events among a Sample of City Bus Drivers

1998 ◽  
Vol 83 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1155-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Brunet ◽  
Richard Boyer ◽  
Pascale Brillon ◽  
Esther Ehrensaft ◽  
Randolph Stephenson
Keyword(s):  
Representative Sample ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Lifetime Prevalence ◽  
Bus Drivers ◽  
Epidemiological Research ◽  
City Bus ◽  
Lifetime Exposure

Lifetime exposure to traumatic events was assessed retrospectively among a representative sample of city bus drivers (228 men and 54 women) from Montreal, Canada. Among them, 68.1% reported at least one exposure to a traumatic event of any type. Among the 68% exposed, 70.4% reported multiple traumatic exposures ( M = 2.6, SD = 1.67), with ratings ranging from 0 to 12. This report underlines the fact that the prevalence of traumatic events is not yet well known. Epidemiological research should devote more effort to assess fully the lifetime prevalence of traumatic events and not only cases of PTSD.

The Influence of Event and Reaction Context on Clinicians’ Disorder Diagnoses

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erienne R. Weine ◽  
Nancy S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Behavioral Symptoms ◽  
Stressful Event ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Vignette Study ◽  
Reaction Severity

Clinicians’ judgments about clients can be influenced by the causal context (e.g., life events) preceding behavioral symptoms. However, it is unclear whether this influence extends to diagnosis judgments. In diagnosing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic event context must be present, and severe immediate reaction context was formerly required for many years. In a vignette study, we systematically examined whether event and reaction severity influence clinicians’ open-ended diagnoses of PTSD behaviors, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) behaviors, and nondisordered behaviors. Clinicians made more diagnoses of PTSD for all three types of behaviors (PTSD, MDD, distressed) given a traumatic event than a mildly stressful event but simultaneously found the behaviors to be less abnormal. We found no evidence that reaction context influenced diagnoses. Future directions and the role of causal context in clinical diagnosis are discussed.

Sleep Early After Trauma

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Yasmine Azza ◽  
Ines Wilhelm ◽  
Birgit Kleim
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Intrusive Memories ◽  
Emotional Memories ◽  
Intervention Science ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Early Memory ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

Abstract. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by intrusive re-experiencing of emotional memories of a traumatic event. Such memories are formed after exposure to trauma in the context of a cascading stress response including high levels of emotional arousal and stress hormone release. Sleep could be a key modulator of early memory formation and re-consolidation processes. Initial studies have investigated this association in this early time period, that is, hours and days after trauma exposure, and its role in modulating trauma memories and PTSD. The time is thus ripe to integrate findings from these studies. The current review consolidated evidence from five experimental and seven naturalistic studies on the association between trauma, sleep, and the development of intrusive emotional memories and PTSD, respectively. Together, the studies point to a potential protective role of sleep after trauma for the development of intrusive memories and PTSD. Findings regarding key sleep architecture features are more mixed and require additional investigation. The findings are important for prevention and intervention science.

The association between psychotic experiences and traumatic life events: the role of the intention to harm

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (13) ◽  
pp. 2235-2246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tais Silveira Moriyama ◽  
Marjan Drukker ◽  
Ary Gadelha ◽  
Pedro Mario Pan ◽  
Giovanni Abrahão Salum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Psychotic Experiences ◽  
Child Exposure ◽  
Traumatic Life Events ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

AbstractBackgroundPrevious work showed traumatic life events (TLE) with intention to harm, like bullying and abuse, to be more strongly associated with psychotic experiences (PE) than other types of trauma, like accidents. However, this association is subject to reporting bias and can be confounded by demographic characteristics and by differences in dose of exposure across different trauma categories. We studied the association between TLE with and without intention to harm and PE, taking into account potential confounders and biases.MethodsA total of 2245 children and adolescents aged 6–14 years were interviewed by psychologists. The interview included the presence of 20 PE (both self-report and psychologist evaluation). In addition, parents provided information on child exposure to trauma, mental health and PE.ResultsResults showed no significant association between TLE without intention to harm only and PE for the three methods of assessment of PE (self-report, parent report and psychologist rating). On the other hand, there was a positive association between PE and TLE in groups exposed to traumatic experiences with intention to harm (with intention to harm only and with and without intention to harm). Results remained significant after controlling for demographic and clinical confounders, but this positive association was no longer significant after adjusting for the number of TLE.ConclusionsTLE with intention to harm display a stronger association with PE than TLE without intention to harm, and this difference is likely reducible to a greater level of traumatic exposure associated with TLE with intention to harm.

Belief in Astrology as a Strategy For Self-Verification and Coping With Negative Life-Events

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Outi Lillqvist ◽  
Marjaana Lindeman
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
German Language ◽  
And Coping

This study investigated the role of astrology in self-concept verification and coping with negative life-events. Forty students in elementary courses of astrology, psychology, and German language rated their certainty about 20 self-describing attributes and three assumptions related to the self. The subjects were also asked to mark whether and how many times they had experienced particular crises and traumatic events. Participation in an astrology course, but not in psychology or German courses, verified the participant's self-concept by increasing certainty of the self-descriptive attributes and the assumptions of self-control and perceived luck. In addition, interest in astrology was positively correlated with the number of personal crises, but not with the number of past traumatic events. The motivational mechanisms underlying astrological beliefs and the enormous popularity of astrology are discussed.

scholarly journals Association between trauma exposure and delusional experiences in a large community-based sample

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Scott ◽  
David Chant ◽  
Gavin Andrews ◽  
Graham Martin ◽  
John McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Dose Response Relationship ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

BackgroundSurveys have found that otherwise well individuals report delusional experiences. Previous studies have shown an association between psychotic symptoms and exposure to trauma.AimsTo explore the association between trauma and delusional experiences in a community sample.MethodRespondents (n = 10 641) were assessed for delusional experiences, exposure to various types of traumatic experiences and the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The endorsement of delusional items was examined in people exposed to traumatic events who did or did not have PTSD.ResultsExposure to any traumatic event but without the development of PTSD was associated with increased endorsement of delusional experiences (relative risk 2.68, 95% CI 2.18–3.30) and there was a significant dose–response relationship between the number of types of traumatic events and endorsement of such experiences (χ2 =26.74, d.f. =2, P < 0.001). A diagnosis of PTSD further increased endorsement of delusional experiences (RR = 9.24, 95% CI 6.95–12.27). The association between PTSD and delusional experiences remained significant after adjusting for factors associated with psychotic symptoms.ConclusionsFurther investigation into the pathways between trauma, delusions and psychosis may provide insights into shared aetiological mechanisms underpinning these conditions.

Social Support, Emotional Intelligence, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole L. Hofman ◽  
Austin M. Hahn ◽  
Christine K. Tirabassi ◽  
Raluca M. Gaher
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract. Exposure to traumatic events and the associated risk of developing Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is a significant and overlooked concern in the college population. It is important for current research to identify potential protective factors associated with the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms unique to this population. Emotional intelligence and perceived social support are two identified protective factors that influence the association between exposure to traumatic events and PTSD symptomology. The current study examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. Participants included 443 trauma-exposed university students who completed online questionnaires. The results of this study indicated that social support mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and reported PTSD symptoms. Thus, emotional intelligence is significantly associated with PTSD symptoms and social support may play an integral role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD. The current study is the first to investigate the role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. These findings have important treatment and prevention implications with regard to PTSD.

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