Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic depreciation (PTD) across ten countries: Global validation of the PTG-PTD theoretical model

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Validity and Structure of Culture-Level Personality Scores: Data From Ratings of Young Adolescents

We examined properties of culture-level personality traits in ratings of targets (N=5,109) ages 12 to 17 in 24 cultures. Aggregate scores were generalizable across gender, age, and relationship groups and showed convergence with culture-level scores from previous studies of self-reports and observer ratings of adults, but they were unrelated to national character stereotypes. Trait profiles also showed cross-study agreement within most cultures, 8 of which had not previously been studied. Multidimensional scaling showed that Western and non-Western cultures clustered along a dimension related to Extraversion. A culture-level factor analysis replicated earlier findings of a broad Extraversion factor but generally resembled the factor structure found in individuals. Continued analysis of aggregate personality scores is warranted. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.Fil: McCrae, Robert R.. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: Terracciano, Antonio. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: De Fruyt, Filip. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: De Bolle, Marleen. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: Gelfand, Michele J.. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Costa Jr., Paul T.. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: Klinkosz, Waldemar. The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; PoloniaFil: Knežević, Goran. Belgrade University; SerbiaFil: Leibovich de Figueroa, Nora. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Löckenhoff, Corinna E.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Martin, Thomas A.. Susquehanna University; Estados UnidosFil: Marušić, Iris. Institute for Social Research; CroaciaFil: Mastor, Khairul Anwar. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; MalasiaFil: Nakazato, Katsuharu. Iwate Prefectural University; AfganistánFil: Nansubuga, Florence. Makerere University; UgandaFil: Porrata, Jose. No especifíca;Fil: Purić, Danka. Belgrade University; SerbiaFil: Realo, aAnu. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Reátegui, Norma. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; PerúFil: Rolland, Jean Pierre. Universite Paris Ouest Nanterre la Defense; FranciaFil: Schmidt, Vanina Ines. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología. Instituto de Investigaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sekowski, Andrzej. The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; PoloniaFil: Shakespeare Finch, Jane. Queensland University of Technology; AustraliaFil: Shimonaka, Yoshiko. Bunkyo Gakuin University; JapónFil: Simonetti, Franco. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Siuta, Jerzy. Jagiellonian University;Fil: Szmigielska, Barbara. Jagiellonian University;Fil: Vanno, Vitanya. Srinakharinwirot University; TailandiaFil: Wang, Lei. Peking University; ChinaFil: Yik, Michelle. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Hong Kon

The Primary Prevention of PTSD in Firefighters: Preliminary Results of an RCT with 12-Month Follow-Up

AIM: To develop and evaluate an evidence-based and theory driven program for the primary prevention of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). DESIGN: A pre-intervention / post-intervention / follow up control group design with clustered random allocation of participants to groups was used. The "control" group received "Training as Usual" (TAU). METHOD: Participants were 45 career recruits within the recruit school at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in Western Australia. The intervention group received a four-hour resilience training intervention (Mental Agility and Psychological Strength training) as part of their recruit training school curriculum. Data was collected at baseline and at 6- and 12-months post intervention. RESULTS: We found no evidence that the intervention was effective in the primary prevention of mental health issues, nor did we find any significant impact of MAPS training on social support or coping strategies. A significant difference across conditions in trauma knowledge is indicative of some impact of the MAPS program. CONCLUSION: While the key hypotheses were not supported, this study is the first randomised control trial investigating the primary prevention of PTSD. Practical barriers around the implementation of this program, including constraints within the recruit school, may inform the design and implementation of similar programs in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12615001362583

Factors contributing to posttraumatic growth and its buffering effect in adult chidren of cancer patients undergoing treatment

This study examined relationships among demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables in adult children of cancer patients. Two hundred and fourteen participants completed measures of posttraumatic growth (PTG), distress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, social support, and family functioning. Significant gender differences in all PTG dimensions were found, as well as associations among PTG, gender, parental dependency, distress, PTSD, and family functioning. Social support was not a mediator in the relationship between gender and PTG. Gender, education, disease duration, dependency, distress, and family flexibility predicted PTG. Finally, PTG had amoderating effect in the relationship between distress and PTSD/social support. These results may guide psychosocial interventions in this population.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT

Towards a culturally appropriate mental health system: Sudanese-Australians' experiences with trauma

Australia is fortunate to welcome approximately 13,000 humanitarian entrants per year, most of whom have experienced protracted violence, hardship and life in refugee camps. The majority of humanitarian migrants were raised in cultural contexts very different to that of Australia, contributing to the increasing diversity of this region. With this diversity comes a responsibility to ensure every Australian receives culturally appropriate mental healthcare. Those who are forced into migration have experienced trauma and the stress of acculturation often compounds this trauma. This study investigated the experience of trauma from the perspectives of Sudanese-Australians. Grounded theory methodology was employed to extract themes from interviews with 15 Sudanese-Australians aged between 19 and 49 years. Results demonstrated four overarching themes: support, religion, strength and new possibilities. The data within these themes are compared and contrasted with previous literature that has examined notions of trauma, distress and growth in western populations. Conclusions drawn from these results highlight the need to build inclusive practices that support diversity into existing trauma services in Australia

Psychosocial aspects of disaster management

Disasters can have a significant impact on mental health ; an impact which can be aggravated by poor forward planning and inadequate management of the recovery phase [ Raphael, 19 86 ] . People respond to traumatic events in different ways yet psychosocial research in this area has predominantly focussed on the detrimental impacts of exposure. For example, a meta - analysis of the health impacts of natural disasters by Ahern, Kovats, Wilkinson, Few, and Matthies [ 2005 ] revealed increased levels of anxiety, depression, and post - traumatic stress disorder [ PTSD ] , as well as physical symptoms of dis - ease. However, it is a minority of people that will sustain a serious mental illness [ Briere, & Elliott, 2000 ] , and the majority, though impacted in some way will respond, recover and return to preevent functioning [ Bonanno,Westphal, & Mancini, 2011 ] . Research also demonstrates that a traumatic experience can provide a catalyst for significant positive changes termed Posttraumatic Growth [ Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006 ] . Although it is essential to stress that most people recover from traumatic events in very sound ways psychologically, it is also important to recognise that post event reactions / behaviours which may be different from the way in which the individual behaves in ‘normal’ circumstances , are not necessarily a symptom of psychopathology . Rather , responses are likely to be normal reactions to extraordinary events

Markers of resilience in new police officers : appraisal of potentially traumatizing events

This article presents data from a longitudinal study of adjustment to policing, specifically examining the role played by exposure to traumatic events prior to entry to the profession. This study aims to explore the impact of a prior traumatic experience on the appraisal of potentially traumatizing events experienced within the policing context. Seventy-eight police constables were followed from point of entry until the completion of 12 months of operational duties. The results suggest the experience of a traumatic event prior to joining the police may facilitate positive emotional outcomes from exposure to adverse events on the job. This article is the first to examine the impact of prior traumatic events on adjustment to the demands of policing in a longitudinal context and suggests that the experience of prior traumatic events can have a positive impact on officer’s capacity to adapt to the challenges of the police role