European Journal of Psychotraumatology最新文献

{"title":"Celebrating 15 years of Psychotraumatology - a future with generative AI?","authors":"Miranda Olff","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2429921","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2429921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The <i>European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT)</i> was launched in 2010. In this editorial, we review the journal's developments over the past 15 years, and discuss some of the current ethical challenges in scientific publishing, including the impact of generative AI. How can we responsibly use these new technologies? Additionally, we present 15 years of journal metrics, highlight past and upcoming special issues on 'hot topics,' and are pleased to announce awards for the best paper and best reviewer of 2023, recognizing two outstanding recipients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2429921"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11622376/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142779523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among welfare- and justice-involved adolescents in Nigeria.","authors":"Wasiu Olorunlambe, Sherifat Adeniyi","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2434316","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2434316","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Childhood maltreatment (CM) is higher among welfare- and justice-involved youth than in those not involved in these systems, which increases the risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanisms underlying the link between CM and these two psychiatric conditions are less well understood among at-risk populations in low- and middle-income countries.<b>Objective:</b> This study attempts to fill this gap by examining the prevalence of and risk factors for depression and PTSD among at-risk groups in Nigeria.<b>Method:</b> A cross-sectional research design using multistage sampling was adopted. The sample comprised 205 adolescents: justice-involved [102 (49.8%)] and welfare-involved [103 (50.2%)]. In total, 151 (73.7%) were males, while 54 (26.3%) were females. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance were applied.<b>Results:</b> The results showed that 66.1% of welfare-involved adolescents and 69.6% of justice-involved adolescents reported PTSD, while 68.9% of welfare-involved adolescents and 75.5% of justice-detained adolescents reported depression. Neglect (OR = 0.253; 95% CI 0.146-0.571; <i>p</i> < .001) and witnessing violence (OR = 0.230; 95% CI 0.114-0.597; <i>p</i> < .004) predicted depression. Emotional abuse (OR = 0.186; 95% CI 0.090-0.80; <i>p</i> < .015), witnessing violence (OR = 0.147; 95% CI 0.014-0.876; <i>p</i> < .043), neglect (OR = 0.187; 95% CI 0.14-0.90; <i>p</i> < .008), and physical abuse (OR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.254-0.937; <i>p</i> < .001) predicted PTSD. Also, PTSD significantly differed based on type of placement (<i>F</i> = 6.08, <i>p</i> < .014, <i>η</i>²= .029), but depression did not differ based on type of placement (<i>F</i> = 2.46, <i>p</i> > .118, <i>η</i>²= .012).<b>Conclusions:</b> CM profiles are risk factors in PTSD and depression among at-risk groups. CM screening should be included in mental health services of out-of-home placements to prevent the cycle of mental health problems and reoffending. Trauma-focused and cognitive-behavioural therapies have the potential to alleviate the suffering of traumatized adolescents.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2434316"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11656755/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142846162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Voice hearing in young people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following multiple trauma exposure.","authors":"Katie Lofthouse, Ella Beeson, Tim Dalgleish, Andrea Danese, Joanne Hodgekins, Gerwyn Mahoney-Davies, Patrick Smith, Paul Stallard, Jon Wilson, Richard Meiser-Stedman","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2435790","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2435790","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> PTSD is comorbid with a number of other mental health difficulties and the link between voice hearing and PTSD has been explored in adult samples.<b>Objective:</b> To compare the trauma history, symptomatology, and cognitive phenotypes of children and adolescents with a PTSD diagnosis following exposure to multiple traumatic events presenting with voice hearing with those who do not report hearing voices.<b>Methods:</b> Participants (<i>n</i> = 120) were aged 8-17 years and had PTSD following exposure to multiple traumas. Three primary analyses were conducted, comparing PTSD symptom severity, prevalence of sexual trauma, and level of negative post-traumatic cognitions between the voice hearing and non-voice hearing groups. Participants were allocated to the voice hearing group if they reported hearing voices in the past two weeks. A range of mental health and cognitive-behavioural factors were considered in exploratory secondary analyses. All analyses were pre-registered.<b>Results:</b> The voice hearing group (<i>n</i> = 50, 41.7%) scored higher than the non-voice hearing group (<i>n</i> = 70, 58.3%) for negative post-traumatic cognitions, but not PTSD symptom severity or prevalence of sexual trauma. In secondary analyses, the voice hearing group had more sensory-based and fragmented memories and higher scores for panic symptoms than the non-voice hearing group. When participants whose voices were not distinguishable from intrusions or flashbacks were removed from the voice hearing group in a sensitivity analysis, the voice hearing group (<i>n</i> = 29, 24.2%) scored higher on negative post-traumatic cognitions and trauma memory quality, with similar effect sizes to the original analysis.<b>Conclusions:</b> Voice hearing is common among youth exposed to multiple traumas with PTSD and is related to cognitive mechanisms proposed to underpin PTSD (appraisals, memory quality) and more panic symptoms. Further research should seek to investigate the underlying mechanisms and directionality for these relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2435790"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11656750/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142846237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salivary testosterone is associated with feelings of senselessness and self-dislike in women with borderline personality disorder.","authors":"Eugenia Kulakova, Livia Graumann, An Bin Cho, Christian Eric Deuter, Oliver T Wolf, Julian Hellmann-Regen, Stefan Roepke, Christian Otte, Katja Wingenfeld","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2431368","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2431368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Women with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show increased basal levels of testosterone. We investigated whether salivary testosterone levels in women with BPD were indicative of specific symptoms associated with BPD. Based on the assumed link between testosterone and interpersonal dominance, we hypothesized a positive association between testosterone and externalising, i.e. aggressive or impulsive behaviour, potentially contributing to higher burden of interpersonal reactivity and conflict.<b>Methods:</b> Saliva was collected from 98 women with BPD (average age in years: 28, range 18-46) between 1 and 2 pm. Self-rating scales were administered to assess severity of BPD (Borderline Symptom Checklist, BSL-23) and depressive symptoms (Beck's Depression Inventory, BDI-II). Regression analyses targeted associations between individual testosterone levels and BSL-23 and BDI-II total and by-item scores.<b>Results:</b> Higher testosterone levels were associated with higher overall disease burden indicated by BSL-23 and BDI-II total scores. When analysed by item, higher testosterone levels were significantly associated with increased feelings of self-dislike, senselessness and pessimism, and the feeling of being a failure.<b>Conclusion:</b> Our findings show that in women with BPD testosterone levels are positively associated with increased borderline and depressive symptomatology. Contrary to our expectations, rather than predicting externalising symptoms, higher testosterone is associated with a well-defined cluster of internalising symptoms characterized by a pessimistic and derogatory view towards oneself.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2431368"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11613350/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142767513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mediators of change in a condensed online exposure-based intervention provided soon after trauma: insights from a randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Maria Bragesjö, Filip K Arnberg, Erik Andersson","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2430807","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2430807","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> The active mechanisms of change are unclear in early-provided exposure-based interventions for psychological trauma. This study aimed to address this gap by analysing weekly data from a randomised trial involving a 3-week therapist-guided online intervention based on prolonged exposure compared to a waiting-list control group.<b>Method:</b> The objective was to investigate whether changes in each of the four subscales of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, fifth version (PCL-5; i.e. intrusions, avoidance behaviours, negative alternations in cognitions and hyperarousal) during the three-week intervention period mediated subsequent improvements in other post-traumatic stress symptoms at the controlled 1-month follow-up. We included baseline levels of both the mediator and the outcome as well as changes in the outcome from baseline to week 3 as covariates in a mediation model.<b>Results:</b> The results showed that reductions in avoidance during the intervention period mediated reduced symptom levels of intrusions, negative alternations in cognitions, and hyperarousal at week 7 (z-scores of indirect effect estimates = -0.12 to -0.07). No other PCL-5 subscales were found to be mediators of change.<b>Conclusions:</b> The results from this study highlight the importance of addressing avoidance behaviours in online exposure-based interventions provided in the early aftermath of trauma. Sensitivity analysis showed that the mediation effects were sensitive to assumptions related to mediator-outcome confounders, which could be considered a study limitation.<b>Trial registration:</b> ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03850639.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2430807"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11613411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142767573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BLAME-LESS STUDY: a two-arm randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of an online psychoeducation programme for adolescents who have experienced physical/sexual violence or sexual abuse. Rationale, study design, and methods.","authors":"Rik Knipschild, Helen Klip, Katie Winkelhorst, Tessa Stutterheim, Agnes van Minnen","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2315794","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2315794","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Victims of physical/sexual violence or sexual abuse commonly experience defense responses that result in feelings of guilt and shame. Although trauma-focused interventions are effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, the presence of trauma-related shame and guilt can potentially hinder the process of disclosure during treatment, thus diminishing their overall effectiveness. It is hypothesized that providing psychoeducation about common defense responses will reduce feelings of shame and guilt, thereby increasing receptivity to trauma-focused treatment.<b>Objective:</b> This paper describes the rationale, study design, and methods of the BLAME-LESS study. The effects of a brief online psychoeducation program will be compared with a waiting-list control group. The intervention aims to reduce feelings of trauma-related shame and guilt that adolescents experience regarding their own defense responses during and after physical/sexual violence or sexual abuse.<b>Methods:</b> Adolescents (12 - 18 years old) with a history of physical/sexual violence or sexual abuse who suffer from trauma-related feelings of shame and guilt can participate in the study. The study follows a two-arm RCT that includes 34 participants. The primary outcomes includes trauma-related feelings of shame and guilt. The secondary outcomes includes PTSD symptoms, anxiety and depression symptoms, traumatic cognitions, readiness to disclose details of memories of the trauma, and motivation to engage in trauma-focused therapy. Assessments take place after screening, at baseline, two weeks after allocation to the intervention or waiting-list, and, only for the waiting-list participants, seven weeks after allocation to the intervention.<b>Conclusions:</b> There is a need for treatment approaches that target trauma-related feelings of shame and guilt. A recently developed brief online psychoeducation program on defense responses during and after trauma offers victims of physical/sexual violence or sexual abuse a free and accessible way to obtain reliable and valid information. The proposed RCT will evaluate the effectiveness of this online psychoeducation program.<b>Trial Registration:</b> Request is pending.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2315794"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10878330/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139899555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cognitive factors as mediators of the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms: the mediating roles of cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination, and social problem-solving.","authors":"Zobeydeh Dehghan Manshadi, Hamid Taher Neshat-Doost, Laura Jobson","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2320041","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2320041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Childhood trauma has negative immediate and long-term impacts on depression. Questions remain, however, regarding the cognitive factors influencing this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the role of three cognitive factors - cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination and social problem-solving - as mediating factors in the relationship between childhood trauma and symptoms of depression.<b>Methods:</b> We conducted a cross-sectional study in Iran from March to July 2023. Participants (<i>N</i> = 227; Mean age 32.44 ± 8.95 years) with depression completed measures of childhood trauma, depression, self-overgeneralisation, cognitive errors, memory specificity, rumination and social problem-solving. The conceptual model was assessed using structural equation modelling.<b>Results:</b> Structural equation modelling indicated that childhood trauma had a positive direct effect on depression symptoms. Childhood trauma had a positive indirect effect on depression symptoms through both self-overgeneralisation and rumination and a negative indirect effect on depression through effective social problem-solving strategies.<b>Conclusions:</b> The findings suggest increased exposure to childhood trauma may be associated with elevated depression and self-overgeneralisation, rumination, and effective social problem-solving strategies may play an important role in this relationship. These findings hold potential implications for those working with patients with depression and a history of childhood trauma.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2320041"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913708/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140021279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy variants for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.","authors":"Karin Prillinger, Andreas Goreis, Sarah Macura, Carola Hajek Gross, Annika Lozar, Selina Fanninger, Anna Mayer, Claudia Oppenauer, Paul L Plener, Oswald D Kothgassner","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2406662","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2406662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> While there are well-established treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), these interventions appear to be less effective for individuals with comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for PTSD and DBT Prolonged Exposure (PE) are both effective interventions for treating these patients, but a comprehensive analysis evaluating the efficacy of these two interventions is lacking.<b>Objective:</b> To determine the effect sizes of PTSD-specific DBT treatments.<b>Methods:</b> We conducted a systematic review and pre-registered meta-analysis of the DBT literature for treating PTSD (osf.io/62rfq). Eligible trials and treatment evaluations published before September 2023 were searched in SCOPUS, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library databases. Thirteen articles were identified, and data were extracted for primary (PTSD symptoms) and secondary outcomes (BPD, depression, dissociation, non-suicidal self-injury [NSSI]). Treatment effects were calculated for randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, and pre-post evaluations.<b>Results:</b> Overall, the studies involved 663 participants. Compared with control groups, PTSD-specific DBT treatments showed moderate effects in reducing PTSD symptom severity <i>g</i> = -0.69 (95% CI -1.03 to -0.34, <i>p</i> < .001) and depression <i>g</i> = -0.62 (95% CI -1.13 to -0.12, <i>p</i> = .016). Moreover, the pre-post changes showed an overall effect size for dissociative symptoms of <i>g</i> = -0.72 (95% CI -1.05 to -0.40, <i>p</i> < .001), for BPD-associated symptoms of <i>g</i> = -0.82 (95% CI -1.06 to -0.59, <i>p</i> < .001), and for NSSI frequency (<i>g</i> = -0.70, 95% CI -1.12 to -0.28, <i>p</i> = .001).<b>Conclusions:</b> Based on the results of our meta-analysis, DBT-PTSD and DBT PE were effective in reducing PTSD symptom severity and comorbid depressive symptoms. Further research on stage-based treatments should focus on systematically assessing NSSI, BPD symptoms, and suicidality.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2406662"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11445934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142344266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-stigma mediates the relationships between childhood maltreatment and symptom levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.","authors":"Shilat Haim-Nachum, Amit Lazarov, Reut Zabag, Andrés Martin, Maja Bergman, Yuval Neria, Doron Amsalem","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2370174","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2370174","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for developing multiple forms of psychopathology, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. Yet, the mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and these psychopathologies remain less clear.<b>Objective:</b> Here we examined whether self-stigma, the internalization of negative stereotypes about one's experiences, mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and symptom severity of depression, PTSD, and anxiety.<b>Methods:</b> Childhood trauma survivors (<i>N </i>= 685, <i>M</i>age = 36.8) were assessed for childhood maltreatment, self-stigma, and symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety. We used mediation analyses with childhood maltreatment as the independent variable. We then repeated these mediation models separately for childhood abuse and neglect, as well as the different subtypes of childhood maltreatment.<b>Results:</b> Self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms. For sexual abuse - but not physical or emotional abuse - a significant mediation effect of self-stigma emerged on all symptom types. For childhood neglect, self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between both emotional and physical neglect and all symptom types.<b>Conclusion:</b> Our cross-sectional study suggests that different types of childhood maltreatment experiences may relate to distinct mental health problems, potentially linked to increased self-stigma. Self-stigma may serve as an important treatment target for survivors of childhood abuse and neglect.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2370174"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11238652/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141563112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'I've got no PPE to protect my mind': understanding the needs and experiences of first responders exposed to trauma in the workplace.","authors":"Nicola Cogan, Ashleigh Craig, Lucy Milligan, Robyn McCluskey, Tara Burns, Wiktoria Ptak, Alison Kirk, Christoph Graf, Jolie Goodman, Johannes De Kock","doi":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2395113","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20008066.2024.2395113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>ABSTRACT</b><b>Background</b>: First responders (FRs) are at high risk of being exposed to traumatic events in their occupational roles. Responding to critical incidents often involves exposure to life-threatening circumstances, dealing with fatalities and encountering highly stressful situations that may trigger traumatic responses. These experiences can lead to poor physical and mental health (MH) outcomes including post-traumatic stress disorder, co-morbid conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, insomnia, and suicidality. Little research has explored the perspectives and experiences of FRs in dealing with occupational trauma(s) and how best to meet their health needs.<b>Objective</b>: This study aimed to explore FRs' experiences of exposure to occupational trauma and its impact on their mental wellbeing. The wider objective was to investigate how FRs can be supported to access appropriate and relevant help, addressing barriers like stigma.<b>Method</b>: A qualitative research design using in-depth semi-structured interviews with FRs (<i>n</i> = 54) was adopted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic approach.<b>Results</b>: Themes developed were: (1) the pervasive, cumulative and salient impact of occupational trauma on MH (micro-traumas, nightmares, flashbacks and reliving experiences); (2) the demands of the job exacerbating the adverse effects of trauma (self and others); (3) insufficient support and unhelpful ways of coping following exposure to trauma (lack of psychological safety); (4) stigma and fear of judgement as barriers to MH help-seeking; and (5) need for specific, accessible and credible trauma-focused interventions and workplace support.<b>Conclusions</b>: The implications of these findings are discussed at the individual, service provider and organisational level, emphasising the importance of implementing a strengths-based, non-pathologising and de-stigmatising approach to trauma in the workplace as experienced by FRs. Emphasis is placed on the importance of overcoming barriers to accessing MH support and improving access to evidence-based, trauma-focused psychological interventions and workplace support.</p>","PeriodicalId":12055,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology","volume":"15 1","pages":"2395113"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11382715/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142139711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}