Predictors of the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Police Officers

Martin, Mélissa; Marchand, André; Boyer, Richard; Martin, Normand

doi:10.1080/15299730903143626

Cited by 72 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Like most of the earlier studies from North America. 7,18 Europe, 2 Australia, 5 and South Africa, 6 we found that variables related to negative affect (NA), job duration, frequency of critical incident exposure, peritraumatic dissociation, and lack of social support predicted PTSD symptom severity. It is noteworthy that these five variables accounted for more than half of the variation in the PCL-C scores in our final model.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Predictors of PTSD symptoms in brazilian police officers: the synergy of negative affect and peritraumatic dissociation

Maia

Marmar

Henn‐Haase

et al. 2011

Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr.

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Background Exposure to traumatic events is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Pretrauma, peritrauma and posttrauma factors interact to impact on symptom severity. The aim of the present study is to determine risk factors for PTSD symptoms in Brazilian police officers. Method In a cross-sectional sample of active duty officers (n = 212), participants were asked to complete a socio-demographic questionnaire and self-report scales on affective traits, cumulative critical incident exposure, peritraumatic distress and dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and social support. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to examine predictors of PTSD symptoms. Results Variables related to negative affect, job duration, frequency of critical incident exposure, peritraumatic dissociation, and lack of social support remained significant in the final model and explained 55% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. When interaction terms were evaluated, a synergistic effect between negative affect and peritraumatic dissociation was found. Conclusions The risk factors found in this study provide clues on how to elaborate primary prevention strategies regarding PTSD symptoms in police officers. Such initiatives may lessen the impact of repeated exposure to traumatic events on police officers over the course of their careers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Predictors of PTSD symptoms in brazilian police officers: the synergy of negative affect and peritraumatic dissociation

Maia

Marmar

Henn‐Haase

et al. 2011

Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr.

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“…Previous research with police officers has focused on peritraumatic responses such as distress, dissociation, and panic reactions, but did not systematically investigate motor reactions in response to critical incidents. 1,5,6 Our findings may be important in view of the theoretical and clinical implications of PTI for the development and prognosis of PTSD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 Peritraumatic responses --emotional, cognitive and physical reactions that occur during or immediate after exposure to trauma --feature prominently in the development of PTSD in adults in general and among police officers as well. [5][6][7] Although less studied, peritraumatic tonic immobility (PTI) has been recently attracting the attention of researchers and clinicians for its close association with traumatic events and PTSD. 8 Tonic immobility is a state of involuntary immobility, analgesia, and unresponsiveness to external stimulation presented by some animals when trapped by a predator with no possible escape.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peritraumatic tonic immobility is associated with PTSD symptom severity in Brazilian police officers: a prospective study

Maia

Nóbrega²,

Marques‐Portella

et al. 2014

Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr.

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Objective: Peritraumatic reactions feature prominently among the main predictors for development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Peritraumatic tonic immobility (PTI), a less investigated but equally important type of peritraumatic response, has been recently attracting the attention of researchers and clinicians for its close association with traumatic reactions and PTSD. Our objective was to investigate the role of PTI, peritraumatic panic, and dissociation as predictors of PTSD symptoms in a cohort of police recruits (n=132). Methods: Participants were asked to complete the following questionnaires during academy training and after the first year of work: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist -Civilian Version (PCL-C), Physical Reactions Subscale (PRS), Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ), Tonic Immobility Scale (TIS), and Critical Incident History Questionnaire. Results: Employing a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model, we found that each additional point in the TIS was associated with a 9% increment in PCL-C mean scores (RM = 1.09), whereas for PRS, the increment was 7% (RM = 1.07). As the severity of peritraumatic dissociation increased one point in the PDEQ, the chance of having at least one symptom in the PCL-C increased 22% (OR = 1.22). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need to expand investigation on the incidence and impact of PTI on the mental health of police officers.

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“…It has been proposed that dissociation is an adaptive mechanism to reduce the immediate psychological impact of a traumatic event (van der Kolk & van der Hart, 1989). Although dissociation may diminish the immediate psychological impact of trauma, observational data indicate that dissociative symptoms are associated with increased risk of PTSD development in victims of MVCs (Ehlers et al, 1998), emergency service workers (Marmar, Weiss, Metzler, & Delucchi, 1996), police officers (Martin, Marchand, Boyer, & Martin, 2009), Vietnam veterans (Bremner et al, 1992), and patients injured by other mechanisms (Michaels, Michaels, Moon, et al, 1999; Michaels, Michaels, Zimmerman, et al, 1999). A meta-analysis indicates that dissociation is the psychological response which most strongly predicts PTSD (Ozer, Best, Lipsey, & Weiss, 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence and Predictors of Acute Psychological Distress and Dissociation After Motor Vehicle Collision: A Cross-Sectional Study

Lewis

Platts‐Mills

Liberzon

et al. 2014

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

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Objective The authors examined the incidence and predictors of peritraumatic distress and dissociation after one of the most common forms of civilian trauma exposure: motor vehicle collision (MVC). Methods In this study, patients presenting to the emergency department after MVC who were without serious injury and discharged to home after evaluation (n = 935) completed an emergency department interview evaluating sociodemographic, collision-related, and psychological characteristics. Results The incidence and predictors of distress (Peritraumatic Distress Inventory score ≥ 23) and dissociation (Michigan Critical Events Perception Scale score >3) were assessed. Distress was present in 355 of 935 patients (38%) and dissociation was present in 260 of 942 patients (28%). These outcomes showed only moderate correlation (r = 0.45), and had both shared and distinct predictors. Female gender, anxiety symptoms prior to MVC, and vehicle damage severity predicted both distress and dissociation. Higher socioeconomic status (higher education, higher income, full time employment) had a protective effect against distress but not dissociative symptoms. Better physical health and worse overall mental health were associated with increased risk of dissociation, but not distress. Distress but not dissociation was associated with lower patient confidence in recovery and a longer expected duration of recovery. Conclusion There are unique predictors of peritraumatic distress and dissociation. Further work is needed to better understand the neurobiology of peritraumatic distress and dissociation, and the influence of these peritraumatic outcomes on persistent psychological sequelae.

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Predictors of the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Police Officers

Cited by 72 publications

References 32 publications

Predictors of PTSD symptoms in brazilian police officers: the synergy of negative affect and peritraumatic dissociation

Predictors of PTSD symptoms in brazilian police officers: the synergy of negative affect and peritraumatic dissociation

Peritraumatic tonic immobility is associated with PTSD symptom severity in Brazilian police officers: a prospective study

Incidence and Predictors of Acute Psychological Distress and Dissociation After Motor Vehicle Collision: A Cross-Sectional Study

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